Abstract
BACKGROUND: Primary Health Care (PHC) Services in Saudi Arabia has reportedly been poorly accessed and utilized. Another concern is that the kingdom has to be strategic in reducing inequalities that exist between rural and urban communities. At present, there were limited scientific studies on access, utilization, and satisfaction of PHC services in areas most central to the kingdom. 
 
 AIM: The aim of this study is to explore the factors associated with access, utilization, and level of satisfaction with primary health care services in Hafar Al-batain of Saudi Arabia. 
 
 METHOD: A survey was conducted on June to August 2018 and data were gathered from June to August 2018. A self-report questionnaire was used which asked for the participants’ characteristics, organization factors, financial factors, doctor-patient communication, access, utilization, satisfaction to PHC services and barriers were distributed to the different health centers. A total of 384 PHC receivers served as respondents of the study. Data analysis were processed and Chi-square was used to analyse quantitative data using Statistical Package for Social Sciences Ver. 21. Thematic analysis was used in analysing qualitative data.   
 
 RESULTS: Findings showed that 50% of the total respondents were satisfied to some extent with the PHC services. On the other hand, only 39.7% were completely satisfied. Organizational, financial and doctor-patient communication factors were found to be barriers to PHC services in terms of access and utilization. Gender, age and educational level were found to influence perceived satisfaction towards PHC services. Themes relevant to barriers to PHC services were relevant to inadequate facilities and services, inaccessible location and access of health services, lack of specialized health care workers and services, poor observance of therapies and management, and insufficient implementation of policy and protocols.
 
 CONCLUSION: Health care services in Hafar Al-batin were found satisfying to some extent but were found to have areas which needs improvement which are relevant to factors in the organizational, finance, doctor patient communication and health promotion and prevention.
Highlights
Primary health care (PHC) is an approach to making essential health care accessible and utilized
Aim: The aim of this study is to explore the factors associated with access, utilization, and level of satisfaction with primary health care services in Hafar Al-batain of Saudi Arabia
Themes relevant to barriers to Primary Health Care (PHC) services were relevant to inadequate facilities and services, inaccessible location and access of health services, lack of specialized health care workers and services, poor observance of therapies and management, and insufficient implementation of policy and protocols
Summary
Primary health care (PHC) is an approach to making essential health care accessible and utilized. In the KSA, the first tier of the health care system includes a number of PHC centers (PHCCs) and clinics. These facilities focus on preventive and curative primary care services and provide referrals to secondary and tertiary hospitals (Alzaied & Alshammari, 2016). Primary Health Care (PHC) Services in Saudi Arabia has reportedly been poorly accessed and utilized. Another concern is that the kingdom has to be strategic in reducing inequalities that exist between rural and urban communities. There were limited scientific studies on access, utilization, and satisfaction of PHC services in areas most central to the kingdom
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
