Patient expectations and their satisfaction in the context of public hospitals

Figures & data

Table 1 Sociodemographic characteristics of respondents (N=776)

Characteristics	Frequency	Percent
Age, years
Median age	31
Sex
Female	308	39.7
Male	468	60.3
Marital status
Married or cohabiting with partner	543	70.0
Divorced or separated	54	7.0
Widowed	19	2.4
Single	160	20.6
Educational status
Illiterate	162	20.9
Read and write	152	19.6
Grade 1–8	196	25.3
Grade 9–10	114	14.7
Grade 11–12	4.3	5.5
Higher education	109	14.0
Occupation
Employed	101	13.0
Merchant	125	16.1
Farmer	474	61.1
No job	43	5.5
Other	33	4.3
Residence
Urban	255	32.9
Rural	521	67.1
Payment status
Paying	753	97.0
Free	23	3.0

Table 2 Health care visits and reasons for the current visit (N=776)

Characteristics	Frequency	Percent
Previous experience of health service utilization
Yes	172	22.2
No	604	77.8
Reasons for the current health service visit*
To get diagnosis	727	93.7
For reassurance	57	7.3
To get the results of test	41	5.3
Treatment	384	49.3
For a health checkup/appointment	43	5.5
To ask for a referral	36	4.6
Duration of symptom/problem for the current visit
One week or less	240	30.9
Between 1 week and 1 month	359	46.3
1–6 months	91	11.7
6–12 months	42	5.4
≥12 months	44	5.7

Note:

* Multiple response question.

Table 3 Respondents’ perception toward decision making in health care and their health conditions

Perceptions	Number (N=776)	Percent
Preference in making decisions about medical care
I prefer to make the final decision about which treatment I will receive	11	1.4
I prefer to make the final selection of my treatment after seriously considering my doctor’s opinion	145	18.7
I prefer that my doctor and I share responsibility for deciding which treatment is best for me	412	53.1
I prefer that my doctor makes the final decision about which treatment will be used, but seriously considers my opinion	138	17.8
I prefer to leave all decisions regarding my treatment to my doctor	70	9.0
Influence the consultation to achieve the outcome you want
A lot	152	19.6
A moderate amount	488	62.9
A little	113	14.6
Not at all	23	3.0
Extent of agreement to take a positive attitude toward him/herself
Strongly agree	200	25.8
Agree	464	59.8
Neither agree nor disagree	26	3.4
Disagree	86	11.1
Strongly disagree	0	0
Extent of control over your health
A lot of control	141	18.2
Some control	427	55.0
A little control	92	11.9
No control	116	14.9
Perceived health status
Excellent	0	0
Very good	227	29.3
Good	283	36.5
Fair	164	21.1
Poor	76	9.8
Very poor	26	3.4
Presence of longstanding illness, disability or infirmity
Yes	104	13.4
No	672	86.6

Table 4 Postvisit perceptions and patient’s satisfaction of consultation in the outpatient department

Postvisit perceptions	Number (N=776)	Percent
Extent of influence on the consultation
A lot	72	9.3
A moderate amount	510	65.7
A little	126	16.2
Not at all	68	8.8
Are there things that disappointed you in the current consultation?
No	565	72.8
Yes	211	27.2
Perceived worthiness of the consultation
Worth it	267	34.4
Too early to say	393	50.6
Not worth it	116	14.9
Overall, how satisfied are you with your visit this time
Very satisfied	243	31.3
Satisfied	351	45.2
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied	123	15.9
Dissatisfied	41	5.3
Very dissatisfied	18	2.3

Table 5 Mean differences between pre- and postconsultation expectation

Expectations	Preconsultation Mean ± SD	Postconsultation Mean ± SD	t	P-value
Receiving instructions from health care provider	7.9±2.51	8.80±3.06	−6.36	<0.001
Health care provider–patient communication style	11.24±3.55	10.92±3.78	1.71	0.087
Treatment given/procedures performed	9.20±2.53	11.77±3.09	−18.23	<0.001
Health care provider approach to information	11.24±3.57	15.85±6.67	−17.66	<0.001
Overall expectation	39.62±10.27	47.34±14.45	−12.95	<0.001

Note: Low mean values = high expectations and vice versa.

Abbreviation: SD, standard deviation.

Table 6 Results of the logistic regression analysis showing independent association of global patient satisfaction

Variables	β	P-value	Odds ratio	95% CI for Exp(B)
				Lower	Upper
Post-consultation expectations mean score	−0.012	0.038	0.988	0.976	0.999
Pre-consultation expectations mean score	−0.011	0.188	0.990	0.974	1.005
Perceived control over health (does not =0, A lot of control =1)	0.749	<0.001	2.115	1.343	3.329
Perceived health status (fair to very poor =0, excellent to good =1)	1.263	<0.001	3.538	2.277	5.496
Felt extent of influence to the consultation (moderate to not at all =0, a lot =1)	−0.538	0.019	0.584	0.372	0.917
Disappointed (no =0, yes =1)	−1.121	0.000	0.326	0.223	0.476
Experience (no =0, yes =1)	−0.531	0.021	0.588	0.374	0.924
Constant	0.908	0.106	2.480

Notes: N=776. Nagelkerke’s R²=0.149. χ²=86.72, P<0.0001. Negative β-values for the Pre-consultation expectation and for the Post-consultation expectation indicate higher odds to be included in the satisfied group. For other variables with positive β-values, there is a higher odds to be included in the satisfied group.

Abbreviation: CI, confidence interval.

Figure S1 Preconsultation questionnaire on patients’ expectations of health care.

Figure S2 Postconsultation questionnaire on patients’ expectations of health care.