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

摘要

Background: To determine how socioeconomic factors, such as level of education and employment status, affectpatient experiences on quality of care for ambulatory healthcare services in teaching hospitals in southeast Nigeria.Methods: The study is of a cross-sectional design and exit poll was used to collect its data. A pre-tested structuredquestionnaire was administered to clients accessing care in the outpatient departments of three tertiary hospitals inNigeria. The assessment of patient experiences for quality of care was based on five (5) domains of care: waitingtime; environment of the outpatient department; quality of doctor’s care; quality of care by nurses/other healthworkers; and responsiveness of care. In addition, the overall quality of care was assessed.Results: The mean rating of patient experience for quality of care for ambulatory healthcare services (outpatients’care) was 74.31 ± 0.32%. Moderate differences were observed between the hospitals assessed for various levels ofpatients’ care, especially for waiting time, quality of doctors’ care and overall quality of care. Employment status wasa statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05) determinant of overall patient experience rating for quality of care, while the levelof patient’s education was an influence on the perception of waiting by the patients and their rating of care fromnurses/other healthcare providers (apart from medical doctors).Conclusion: The study showed that educational and employment status (measures of socioeconomic status) ofpatients determined how patients receiving ambulatory (outpatient) healthcare services perceived the quality ofcare in the hospitals. Hence, in order to ensure equity, there is need to institutionalize patient-centered care, whilefull consideration is given to the patients’ socioeconomic status.