Parental satisfaction with neonatal intensive care unit services and associated factors in Ethiopia: systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

In the context of healthcare, satisfaction is the attainment of adequate or acceptable treatment and serves as both a benchmark for quality and the ultimate objective of providing care. In neonatal care facilities, parent satisfaction is a key measure of the quality of the services offered to the newborns and aids in improving healthcare delivery. This is the first systematic review aiming to address critical knowledge gaps regarding factors influencing parental satisfaction with neonatal intensive care unit services, and determine pooled prevalence in Ethiopia.

METHODS

After comprehensive systematic search for full texts in the English language through an electronic web-based search strategy from databases of PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, African Journals Online, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar, included a total of 8 articles. Checklists from the Joanna Briggs Institute were used to assess the studies' quality of methodology. STATA version 14 software for windows was used for all statistical analyses and meta-analysis was done using a random-effects method. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to clarify the source of heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Pooled national level of parents' satisfaction with neonatal intensive unit service was 57.87% (95% CI (49.99, 65.75%)). Age of respondents and availability of chair were significantly associated with parents' satisfaction with neonatal intensive unit service.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION

In our review we found that nearly half of parents expressed dissatisfaction with neonatal intensive unit service, which is high. Age of respondents and availability of chair in neonatal intensive unit waiting area were significantly associated with neonatal intensive unit service. Efforts to enhance parental satisfaction with neonatal intensive unit services are crucial, given that nearly half of parents reported dissatisfaction. Necessary infrastructure should be fulfilled to increase parental satisfaction with neonatal intensive unit service. (PROSPERO) INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTIVE REGISTER OF SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS: CRD42023483474.

Caregiver satisfaction and its associated factors in pediatric wards of Jimma University Medical Center, Southwest Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Measuring the caregivers' satisfaction is vital for the effectiveness of childcare. Children admitted to pediatric wards require special hospital situations, a bespoke approach from the medical team, and the participation of caregivers. It is important to give attention to the caregivers while planning for child services. The purpose of this study was to assess the caregiver's satisfaction with the services provided in pediatric wards of Jimma University Medical Center and identify its associated factors.

METHODS

Facility-based cross-sectional study design was done at Jimma University Medical Center. Participants in the study were primary caregivers who spent two or more days in the pediatric ward with their admitted children. Data were collected from 400 selected caregivers. A consecutive sampling method was employed. Principal component analysis was done for all Likert scale instruments to extract factor (s) representing each of the scales and to have factor scores. Variables with the Likert scale were treated as continuous after principal component analysis was employed. Using these factor scores, a multiple linear regression analysis was carried out to identify factors associated with caregivers' satisfaction with service in pediatric wards. A significance level of less than 0.05 was used in the final model to determine statistical significance.

RESULT

This study showed that caregivers' satisfaction with the services in the pediatric ward was 68%. Level of education (β = -0.24, (95% CI; -.411, -.070)), availability of basic facilities (β = 0.163, (95% CI; .063, .263)), patience to listen to patients' problem (β = 0.431, (95% CI; .324, .537, staff communication with client (β = 0.163, (95% CI; -4.839, -1.610)), availability of laboratory tests and its service (β = -0.964, (95% CI; -1.435, -.493)), availability of drug, imaging and service at radiology (β = 2.907, (95% CI; 1.470, 4.344)) and availability of pathology and its service (β = 1.869, (95% CI; .993, 2.746)) were significant factors associated with caregivers satisfaction with health service in pediatrics ward.

CONCLUSION

Caregivers were moderately satisfied. Education level, availability of basic facilities communication with client, and the availability of laboratory tests and drugs were factors that significantly associated with caregiver satisfaction. Hospital should avail laboratory tests and drugs in order to maintain high levels of caregiver satisfaction.