Assessment of patient satisfaction with oral healthcare in two District Hospitals

Objectives: This study aimed to assess patient satisfaction with oral healthcare based on accessibility, care environment and care quality. 

Methods: To meet the above objective, a descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among patients visiting the Biyem-Assi (BA) and Cité Verte District Hospitals in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from 2021 to 2022. Satisfaction levels were assessed using an administered questionnaire derived from the Dental Satisfaction questionnaire (DSQ) and the Service Quality Questionnaire (SERVQUAL). Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. The mean was used for quantitative data, and the Likert scale was used to assess qualitative data. Results with p-values less than 5 were considered statistically significant. 

Results: Two hundred participants were included in this study. The age range from 29 to 39 years was the most represented (40%), and most participants were from the grassfields (41.5%). The literacy rate was high, 73.1% of participants had a tertiary level of education.  Satisfaction with access to oral health in the study hospitals was 67.5%. Fifty-seven per cent of participants reported satisfaction with the hospital environment. Almost all participants (98%) were satisfied with the quality of care received. A global satisfaction of 71% was recorded. The reasons for patient dissatisfaction included high treatment costs (41%), lack of patient intimacy (60%), and long waiting hours (60-300 minutes). 

Conclusion: Patient satisfaction with oral healthcare was high. Major complaints included the non-respect of patient privacy, long waiting hours and high cost of treatment.