Perceived Patient Satisfaction and Associated Factors among Psychiatric Patients Who Attend Their Treatment at Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic, Jimma University Medical Center, Southwest Ethiopia, Jimma, 2019

Abstract

Background. In health care, patient satisfaction is an attitudinal response and a pillar for quality assurance, but there is reluctance to measure it among mentally ill patients. Satisfied patients become more compliant. However, no study was done in this study area before. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the magnitude of perceived patient satisfaction and associated factor at Jimma University Medical Center, outpatient psychiatry clinic. Methods. Cross-sectional study design was conducted, and systematic random sampling technique was used to get study participants. The 24-item Mental Health Service Satisfaction Scale (a validated tool in Ethiopia) was used to assess patient satisfaction. Data was entered using Epi-data 3.1 and exported to the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 22.0 for analysis. Linear regression analysis (P<0.05) was used to identify the association between the outcome and independent variable. Result. 414 respondents participated in the study with response rate of 98%. The overall percentage of patient satisfaction was 50.3% (95% CI 48.4%–51.2%). Being male (β=−0.651, 95% CI (-0.969, -0.332)), having secondary and above educational status (β=−1.250, 95% CI (-1.765, -0.735)), living in a rural area (β=−1.358, 95% CI (-1.687, -1.030)), having a diagnosis of major depressive disorder (β=1.719, 95% CI (1.332, 2.106)) and bipolar disorder (β=1.203, 95% CI (0.890, 1.516)), far in distance from the hospital (β=−3.250, 95% CI (-4.662, -2.450)), having a history of current substance use (β=−1.719, 95% CI (-2.015, -1.423)), longer in waiting time (β=−3.853, 95% CI (-4.701, -2.205)), and strong social support (β=0.456, 95% CI (0.231, 0.654)) were variables significantly associated with patient satisfaction. Conclusion and Recommendation. This study found that half of the study participants are satisfied with the service. Distance from the hospital, current substance use, waiting time, and having good social support were identified as modifiable factors that can be improved through working with stakeholders to increase patient satisfaction.

Magnitude of patient satisfaction and its associated factors at the outpatient psychiatry service of Dilla university referral hospital, Southern Ethiopia, Dilla, 2020

“…It was also lower than the study done in Gondar (77%) 95% CI (0.70–0.84) [ 10 ] which might be explained by the difference in the setting of the service such as expert professionals, medication availability, Physical setup, and patient flow. This study found that 307 (75%) of respondents responded disagree, and strongly disagree with the item of referral to a specialist is possible, and this finding was contrary to the studies done in Jimma [ 9 ], 89% of them said agree and strongly agree to the item, and it might be due to lack of specialist and organized service on or nearby this study area.…”

“…This study found that waiting time was negatively associated with patient satisfaction (β = -2.19, 95% CI, (-5.238,-1.321, P = 0.001), and this study finding has supported the studies done by Mekelle [ 26 ] and Jimma [ 9 ]. The time they spend in the hospital without receiving care has an impact on their ability to return home and work, as well as on their caregivers.…”

“…This study found 294 (72%) of the respondents reported disagreeing and strongly disagree with the items of affordability for treatment, and supported by the studies done in Gondar [ 10 ] and Jimma [ 9 ], and This similarity could be owing to the high expense of medication, lack of accessibility at government health facilities, and a lack of funding from volunteer non-governmental organizations for long-term access to psychotropic medications in most parts of the country.…”

“…This study found that more than two-thirds of the respondents reported dis-agree and strongly disagreeing with the items of the opportunity to have followed up with the same health worker and this study finding is supported by the studies done in Jimma [ 9 ] and Gondar [ 10 ]. It might be due to the random allocation of health care providers at outpatient and inpatient mental health services in most of the country.…”

“…Since the outcome variable of this study was continuous, to calculate the sample size, we used the percentage mean satisfaction scores of a study conducted in Jimma medical center (50.3%) [ 9 ].…”