Background: Patient satisfaction is an indicator of healthcare quality service and involved as an outcome measure. Quality of healthcare service and patient satisfaction has been affected by the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It induced uncertainness and shortage of medical supplies due to a limited global movement. Therefore, this study aimed to assess patient satisfaction and associated factors among chronic patients who had a follow-up in North Shoa healthcare facilities. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was used to select 410 study participants through a systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected by a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire, entered into Epi Info version 7, and transported to SPSS version 23 for analysis. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions were used to identify the factors associated with satisfaction. The odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was computed, and p-value <0.05 was considered statistical significance in the multivariable model. Results: The overall level of patient satisfaction was 44.6%. The presence of sign and direction indicators (AOR=3.26, 95% CI=1.1, 9.92), obtaining some ordered drugs (AOR=3.7, 95% CI=1.1, 12.54), getting alcohol for hand cleaning (AOR=2.66, 95% CI=1.1,6.65), obtaining sanitizer for hand cleaning (AOR=4.45, 95% CI=1.72,11.52), and maintaining social distancing (AOR=2.63, 95% CI=1.21, 5.70) were factors associated with patient's satisfaction. Conclusion: The level of patient satisfaction was very low during a COVID-19 pandemic. The presence of sign and direction indicators, availability of drugs, social distancing, availability of alcohol, and sanitizer were factors associated with patient satisfaction. The intervention targeted at increasing patient satisfaction and improving the quality of service during COVID-19 through maintaining social distancing and availing alcohol or sanitizers is necessary.

Background: The Coronavirus Diseases 2019 (COVID-19) causes a unique threat and a great challenge to chronic disease patients. Apart from its severity for all communities, a chronic disease patient is highly vulnerable to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this study aimed to assess preparedness and response against the COVID-19 among chronic diseases patients who had follow-up at healthcare facilities. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the North Shoa Zone from May 5, 2020, to June 5/2020. A pre-tested and semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The study participants were selected by simple random sampling technique. The data were entered into the Epi-data and exported to SPSS for cleaning and analysis. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions were used to identify the factors associated with the COVID-19 preparedness and response. Results: A total of 410 (97%) patients were responded to face to face interview administered questionnaire. Nearly two-thirds of the respondents had good knowledge, 54% were well prepared, and 63% had a good response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Male participants, news media (TV & Radio), social media, tuberculosis, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were significantly associated with a good preparedness. Informal education, news media (TV & Radio), and having hypertension were significantly associated with good response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: The prevalence of preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic among chronic disease patients was low. Male participants, source of information, educational status, and having chronic diseases were significantly associated with the COVID-19 prevention preparedness and response. It should be continued to provide awareness creation for chronic patients through news media (TV and radio) and social media to increasing the preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

IntroductionInformation, education, and communication (IEC) is a combination of strategies, approaches, and methods that enable individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities to play an active role in achieving, protecting, and sustaining their health. Healthcare providers are responsible for providing health education to the community through the use of different types of health learning materials. Printed IEC materials were damp and wasted without being used at the study area. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the utilization of printed IEC materials, and associated factors among health care providers in the north Shoa zone, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia.MethodsA facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the North Shoa zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia. The simple random sampling technique was used to select 297 study participants. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire and entered into the Epi-data manager version 4.4.1 and exported to SPSS version 23 for data analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to see the association between dependent and independent variables.ResultA total of 281 health care providers participated in the study, with a response rate of 95%. Eighty-four percent of the study participants knew about printed IEC material. About 235 (83.6%) respondents ever used printed IEC material and 171 (60.9%) study participants used printed IEC material last month. About 259 (92.2%) participants had the intention of using IEC material in the future. Age [AOR, 0.27 95%CI (0.097–0.741)], sex [AOR, 1.928 95%CI (1.025–4.019)], marital status [AOR, 14.03 95%CI (1.4–20.8)], having enough time to provide health education [AOR, 2.53 95%CI (1.16–5.54)], and perceiving the importance of the IEC to provide basic concepts [AOR, 1.517 95%CI (1.07–3.1)] were significantly associated with the use of IEC material.ConclusionsGenerally, the results of this study indicated that the utilization of printed IEC materials was high. To increase utilization of printed IEC material, coordinated efforts were required from the federal government, regional government, non-government organizations, the zonal health bureau, and health facilities.