PUBLIC SATISFACTION WITH HEALTHCARE SERVICES IN TABUK CITY: A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY

Abstract

Background: The growing population, increased life expectancy, high prevalence rate of chronic illness and comprehensive health insurance are factors that increase the demand for acceptable healthcare services. Measuring and ensuring client satisfaction is one of the most crucial features of identifying the success of healthcare organizations.

Purpose: The main purpose of this study is to identify public satisfaction with healthcare services in Tabuk City.

Method: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was used. 700 participants were recruited. The study instrument was composed of 34 Likert-scale items in addition to ten questions related to demographic data. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 23 was used. Simple descriptive statistics were used to characterize the participants. Furthermore, suitable inferential statistics were used to compare differences in means between groups.

Results: 651 participants completed and returned the questionnaire, with a response rate of 93%. The mean age of participants was 37.3 (SD 12.5 years). Fewer than half of the participants (47.8%) were dissatisfied with the healthcare services received. However, the mean total satisfaction score was low at 5.7 (SD 2.11) out of ten. There were significant differences between groups in terms of nationality (U=17413.0, p<0.001) and type of patient (U=27915.50, p=0.04). Also, the Kruskal-Wallis test revealed significant differences between groups in terms of the level of education (H=26.559 p<0.001) and income (H=11.824 p=0.008).

Conclusion: The overall satisfaction level was low. The current study’s result may help improve the quality of delivered healthcare services.

Keywords: Saudi Arabia, healthcare services, healthcare quality, public satisfaction.