Impact of socioeconomic status on patient experience on quality of care for ambulatory healthcare services in Tertiary hospitals in Southeast Nigeria.

Abstract

Background: To determine how socioeconomic factors, such as level of education and employment status, affect patient experiences on quality of care for ambulatory healthcare services in teaching hospitals in southeast Nigeria. Methods: The study used a cross-sectional design to collect data using exit poll. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was administered on clients accessing care in the outpatient departments of three tertiary hospitals in Nigeria. The assessment of patient experiences for quality of care was based on five (5) domains of care: waiting time; environment of the outpatient department; quality of doctor’s care; quality of care by nurses/other health workers; and responsiveness of care. In addition, the overall quality of care was assessed. Results: The mean rating of patient experience of quality of care for the ambulatory care (outpatients’ visits) was 74.31 ± 0.32%. There were moderate differences among the hospitals for various levels of patients’ care, especially for waiting time, quality of doctors’ care and overall quality of care. Employment status was a statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05) determinant of overall patient experience rating for quality of care, while the level of patient’s education was an influence on the perception of waiting by the patients and their rating of care from nurses/other healthcare providers (apart from medical doctors). Conclusion: The study show that educational and employment status (measures of socioeconomic status) of patients determined how patients receiving ambulatory (outpatient) healthcare services perceived the quality of care in the hospitals. Hence, in order to ensure equity, there is need to institutionalize patient-centered care, giving full consideration to patients’ socioeconomic status. Keywords: Quality of care, Patient Experience, Socioeconomic Status, Hospitals, Nigeria.

Factors Influencing Patients Satisfaction in Healthcare - A Systematic Literature Review

“…Similarly, the framework also suggests that socio-economic variables such as income, education, age, and occupation influence patient's satisfaction regarding healthcare delivery which agrees with study results by Aloh et al (2020), Arpey et al (2017), as well as Xesfingi and Vozikis (2016).…”

“…One of such is by Aloh et al (2020) who conducted a cross-sectional study design on the impact of socio-economic status on patient experience on the quality of care for ambulatory healthcare services in Nigeria. The study aimed at examining the relationship between socioeconomic factors and service quality in healthcare delivery.…”

“…Moderate differences were observed between the hospitals assessed for various levels of patients' care, especially for waiting time, quality of doctors' care and overall quality of care. Employment status was a statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05) determinant of overall patient experience rating for the quality of care" [Aloh et al, 2020] ii. Influence on patient's perception of healthcare…”

Prescription Analysis of Outpatients in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

“…This is low when correlated with results from previous studies carried out in different countries like Nigeria 71.74%, Iran 58%, 20 Ghana 80%. 21 While it is too high when judge against the findings that were reported in India 3.9%, 22 Tanzania 19%, 23 Pakistan 34.27%, 24 and Nigeria 26.9%. 25 Thus, there is a serious need to decrease usage of injection in all health care level and especially in outpatients' settings; where relatively stable patients are seen and followed up routinely for their home medications and treatment; so in this settings need for injections might be minimal as compared to the accident and emergency department of the hospital.…”

Inpatient Experience Surveys and Overall Hospital Rating: A Correlation Analysis for a Private Hospital in Central America

“…In its original design, the survey did not collect any information regarding many common sampling characteristics (race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, medical co-morbidities, etc) that could impact survey results (26–28), thus making generalization to other institutions limited.…”