Abstract
ObjectiveTo assess factors associated with patients’ satisfaction with the treatment by dentists in primary health care (PHC) in Brazil.Materials and methodsThe dataset was part of a nationwide cross-sectional survey for evaluating PHC teams conducted by the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Patients from each of 16,202 oral health teams were interviewed. In addition to sociodemographic information, the questionnaire included information about patient experience domains: access and booking of dental appointments, bonding and accountability, welcoming of the patient, and their perception of dental facilities.Statistical analysisThe dependent variable was the answer to the question ‘From 0 to 10, how would you grade your satisfaction with treatment received from the dentist?’ Negative binomial regression models were used to estimate the unadjusted and adjusted rate ratios and corresponding 95% confidence interval.ResultsThe mean patient satisfaction was 9.4 (±2.3). Higher patient satisfaction with PHC was associated with lower education and the patient’s perception of the clinic conditions. Moreover, higher satisfaction was associated with positive reception and hospitality, enough time for treatment, and instructions that met patients’ needs. Lower satisfaction with PHC was associated with patients who have jobs compared to those who do not work.ConclusionPatient satisfaction is increased with friendly and understanding PHC staff. Moreover, meeting patient expectations by taking time to understand the needs and giving the right instructions is associated with higher satisfaction.
Highlights
Since the declaration of Alma-Ata in September 1978, primary health care (PHC) has been considered a key to achieve the goal of ‘health for all’ [1]
The dependent variable was the answer to the question ‘From 0 to 10, how would you grade your satisfaction with treatment received from the dentist?’ Negative binomial regression models were used to estimate the unadjusted and adjusted rate ratios and corresponding 95% confidence interval
Higher patient satisfaction with PHC was associated with lower education and the patient’s perception of the clinic conditions
Summary
Since the declaration of Alma-Ata in September 1978, primary health care (PHC) has been considered a key to achieve the goal of ‘health for all’ [1]. PHC serves as a regular entry point that brings health care closer to the people, which improves access to care and reduces social injustice [5,6,7]. This will improve patient satisfaction [8] and lead to better compliance and efficient use of resources [2, 6, 9]. Satisfaction of the primary care users is one indicator of health care quality. Higher satisfaction has been linked to measures of health outcomes by compliance with treatment and keeping up with appointments [12]. A patient’s level of satisfaction can be considered an expression of his or her expectations in relation to his or her actual experiences [13]
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