The role of socio demographic variables in predicting patients’ satisfaction with radiological services: a cross-sectional study of patients in hospital settings in Enugu metropolis, eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Radiological examination remains a vital and integral aspect of health services delivery and patient satisfaction with radiological service remains beneficial both to patients and hospitals.
Aim: To evaluate the influence of patient’s socio demographic variables on satisfaction with radiological services.
Subjects and Methods: The study is a cross-sectional and descriptive study in which three hundred (300) patients who had come for radiological examination in one public hospital (University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku/Ozalla, Enugu) and one private health care institution (Life Chart Diagnostic Centre, Abakpa Nike, Enugu) in Enugu, Eastern Nigeria were surveyed to ascertain their level of satisfaction with the services of radiographers/staff rendered to them during routine radiological examination. The sites for the study were chosen by convenience sampling and the respondents chosen by systematic sampling method. One hundred and fourty five respondents were interviewed at the public hospital, while one hundred and fifty five were interviewed at the private hospital.
Results: There were 300 respondents, majority-142 (47.3%) of who were under the age of 30 years. The respondents were made up of 92(30.7%) males and the females were 208 (69.3%). Thirty eight percent 115(38.3%) of the respondents have college/university education. Respondents’ level of radiological service satisfaction is associated with their level of education, indicating that the more educated the respondent is, the more satisfied he/she is with the radiological procedure (fishers exact test 0.000f). Those with high school certification had the highest level of radiological experience satisfaction. Female respondents were shown to be significantly more satisfied than their male counterparts during their radiological examination experiences (fishers exact test 0.001f).
Conclusion: Our study recommends that the uneducated and male respondents be given greater attention during radiological procedure, since they were found to be less satisfied during the radiological service experience. Allaying the fears of the uneducated about the complexities of radiological procedure and the large equipments of radiography are likely to improve satisfaction. Better understanding of the limitations in radiological services likely to evoke a feeling of unsatisfactory service among patients should be managed and communicated to the intended radiological examination candidates especially the males and the uneducated who were less satisfied compared to the females and the educated respectively. Patients should be made more aware and educated about the radiological environment to allay the fears of uncertainty and apprehension. Patients should be prepared prior to their examination and acquainted with all expectations even after their examination to improve on patient satisfaction. 

Key words: Patient’s satisfaction, Radiological services, patient’s socio demographics, Nigeria