Experience and perceived quality of care of patients and their attendants in a specialized mental hospital in Bangladesh

Abstract

Background A person’s perception of health service quality depends on his or her expectations and priorities. If the perception of care is good, then it eventually enhances future health service utilization, adherence to treatment and desired outcomes. Understanding a patient’s perspective is key for delivering a better quality patient-centred health care service. This study explored experience and perception of patients and their attendants of mental health care services at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) which is the only national level mental health institute in Bangladesh. NIMH is located in the capital city and provides specialized mental health care services for the whole population. Methods A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted using a mixed-method design at the NIMH. A total of 40 respondents (patients, or their attendants if the patient was minor or unable to respond due to lack of mental stability) visiting the outpatient department (OPD) of NIMH were selected by purposive sampling. For each of the ten ICD 10 categories (10th revision of International Classification of Diseases by the World Health Organization [WHO]) for mental disorders, four patients were chosen. Finally, 13 patients and 27 attendants (on behalf of 17 minor patients and 10 adult patients unable to respond) participated in the interview. Results The respondents rated 34 short statements clustered around four dimensions of care (accessibility, interpersonal communications, condition of the waiting and consultation rooms, and general quality of OPD services) and we interpreted those scores as follows: 7.6–10 very satisfied/very good quality, 5.1–7.5 satisfied/good quality, 2.6–5.0 dissatisfied/poor quality and 1.0–2.5 completely dissatisfied/very poor quality. For accessibility and interpersonal communications, the patients perceived care as very good (average scores on a Likert scale of 1–10 were 8.3 and 7.6, respectively). The respondents considered the condition of the waiting and consultation rooms and general quality of OPD care as good (average scores 5.8 and 7.1, respectively). NIMH had serious lack of resources in terms of functional medical equipment and physicians appointed, which negatively impacted on the service quality. Conclusions Patients receiving services from the NIMH OPD had a positive perception of the quality of care in general. But, at an individual level, some respondents expressed dissatisfaction. Our findings are informative for quality improvement and client-oriented care service planning at NIMH, Bangladesh.

Patient Satisfaction With the Health Care Services of a Government-Financed Health Protection Scheme in Bangladesh: Cross-Sectional Study

“…The SSK health protection scheme has been introduced to increase the access of the poor population to inpatient health care services and ensure financial protection against expenditure to alleviate poverty or extreme poverty induced by out-of-pocket payments for health care in Bangladesh. Although several studies have been conducted on patient satisfaction with health care utilization in different settings in Bangladesh [ 33 , 43 - 46 ], patient satisfaction with services under the SSK health protection scheme has not been studied thus far. The mean satisfaction score in our study was higher than that in a study conducted to assess satisfaction with the service quality of UzHCs among the uninsured population (3.17 vs 2.75) [ 44 ].…”

The Counterproductive Aspects of Charm: Counterfeit Cosmetics and the Purchasing Intention of Bangladeshi Undergrads

“…Within the framework of mental contentment in Bangladesh, the factor of affordability emerges as influential, given the widespread prevalence of mental health challenges in the country, compounded by pronounced stigma, societal taboos, and a dearth of awareness, collectively impeding access to appropriate care [20] In this particular context, the accessibility of mental health services at an affordable cost emerges as a pivotal determinant in fostering mental satisfaction, as the affordability of such services in Bangladesh facilitates individuals' access to care, thereby enhancing their holistic well-being [21]. Housing affordability poses a substantial challenge in Bangladesh, particularly for individuals with lower incomes [22]. Experiencing housing-related adversities, such as inadequate living conditions and housing instability, may be linked to diminished mental health [23].…”

Patient’s Perception Regarding Quality of Nursing Care at Tertiary Level Hospitals in Bangladesh

“…The overall quality of nursing care was however neither satisfying nor dissatisfying (Gishu, Weldetsadik, & Tekleab, 2019). In Bangladesh, quality of Nursing care is unsatisfactory (Mazumder, Suter, Begum, & Hiura, 2021) and the quality of health care is poor in both public and private sectors and there is little assessment of the quality of provider care, low levels of professional knowledge, and poor application of skills (Nuri et al, 2019). In Bangladesh, although have some study related to quality of nursing care measured from nurse's perception but researcher found very limited study that assesses patients' perception regarding quality of nursing care.…”