Assessment of patients‟ satisfaction with hiv care and Treatment services in woldya, lalibela and tefera hailu Memorial hospitals

Abstract

Background: The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a major public health problem with an estimated 32.3 million people living with the virus globally. The problem is excessively worse in sub Saharan Africa. Ethiopia is one of the highly affected countries. Free antiretroviral treatment was initiated in Ethiopia in 2005. One of the commonly used outcome measures of patient care is Patients‟ satisfaction. The assessment of patients‟ satisfaction with the ART services is important. Very high levels of patient satisfaction and treatment adherence are important for a successful strategy against HIV/AIDS. So assessing patient‟s satisfaction on HIV/AIDS would help us to avert the epidemic. Objective: The aim of this study is to assess patients‟ satisfaction with HIV care and treatment service in Woldia Zonal Hospital, Lalibela Hospital and Tefera Hailu Memorial Hospital in Northeast Amhara National Regional State. Methods: A cross-sectional qualitative study was conducted in Woldiya THMH and Lalibela governmental hospitals from February to March 2011. A total of 268 Pre-ART &ART client were involved, proportional distribution of samples was carried out based on the number of ART patient flow systematic sampling technique was used; the required sample size data were interred and processed in to the computer using version 16 stastical packages. The structured questionnaires had been used. Those respondents who were replying very dissatisfied, dissatisfied and neutral grouped as not satisfied; and satisfied and very satisfied were categorized as satisfied. Results: Out of 276 subjects intended to be included in the study, 268 (95.7%) patients on ART responded to the questionnaire. level of overall satisfaction was 60.4%. Overall satisfaction of patients on ART and Pre-ART was higher in Tefera Hailu Memorial Hospital (87.5%) than Woldiya (47.9%) and Lalibela Hospitals (45.7%). The maximum level of satisfaction were consultation (90.3%) and queue process (86.6%) and minimum level of satisfaction were waiting time to get different service of ART and confidentiality which accounted 65.3%and 72% respectively. Concerning the main causes of ART service dissatisfaction were absence of drugs and supplies in pharmacy (59%) and delay to get laboratory services (87.7%).iv Conclusions and recommendations: Most of the results showed that in areas of HIV care and treatment services of the study population were satisfactory. Yet, still many patients were not satisfied with service provision of the ART clinic. Delay to get laboratory results and shortage of opportunistic drugs in pharmacy departments were the major reasons to be not satisfied with the services delivered. Patient who were male and diploma and above in their educational statuses were less likely satisfied than those who were female and illiterate respectively. Patients who earned ETB greater than 500 per month were three times more likely satisfied than those who earned less than 100 ETB per month. The hospital management committee should work to strengthen the ART clinic services by helping staff to involve patients in the HIV treatment and care services and improve the complaint procedure in way that clients can be encouraged and use it appropriately. Providing professional ethics for ART laboratory and pharmacy workers should be undertaken for each hospital. The management committee of each hospital should work hard in availability of drugs and supplies; and delay to get laboratory result also minimized.