Enhancing patient satisfaction offers a way of opti mising health status and helps in the reduction of wastage of medical resources. The direct measure ment of patient satisfaction is new in Kuwait. This study aimed to assess patient satisfaction with respect to physicians' services in primary health care (PHC) and to determine the association of patients sociodemographic variables on their satis faction level. The sample consisted of 301 patients selected systematically from five primary health care centres (PHCC) to represent various geo graphic areas in Kuwait. The data were collected by personal interview using a structured question naire. The overall mean satisfaction with physician services was 2.21 points out of a maximum of five points. The results from multiple regression analy sis indicated that gender, marital status, occupation and income are the most important predictors, with females, married, labourers and higher income levels having the highest mean satisfaction score. The principal component analysis indicated that the most important aspect is 'communication' which accounted for 54% of the total variance. The results suggested a need for an educational programme to inform patients of the objectives and limits of primary health services.
Abd ALKareem A., Aday L. andWalker G. (1996). Patient satisfaction in Government health facilities in the State of Qatar. J Community Health;21,349-358
2.
A-Faris E., Khoja T., Falouda M. and Saeed A. (1998). Patients' satisfaction with accessibility and services offered in Riyadh health centers. Saudi M J;6, 11-17
3.
Ali M. and Mahmoud M. (1993). A study of patient satisfaction with primary health care services in Saudi Arabia. J Community Health;18, 49-54
4.
Al Qatari G. and Haran D. (1999). Determinants of users' satisfaction with primary health care settings and services in Saudi Arabia. Int J Qual Health Care;6, 523-531
5.
Bailor B., Gimotty P., Poses R. and Fagan M. (1997). The effect of primary care training on patient satisfaction ratings. J Gen Intern Med;12, 776-780
6.
Bolivar I. (1999). Satisfaction with primary medical care: population determinants. Gac Sanit;13, 371-383
7.
Delgado A., Lopez L. and Luna J. (1993). Influence of the doctor's gender in the satisfaction of the users. Med Care;31, 795-800
8.
Gaynor S. (1999). Patient surveys. J Child Fam Nurs;2, 153-154
9.
Greenshow D., Howitt A. and Kinners-Ley P. (1998). Patient satisfaction with referral to hospital: relationship to expectations, involvement, and information-giving in the consultation . Br J Gen Prac;48, 911-912
10.
Gross D., Zyzanski S., Borawski E., Cebul R. and Stange K. (1998). Patient satisfaction with time spent with their physician. J Fam Pract;47,133-127
11.
Haddad S., Potvin L., Roberge D., Pineault R. and Remondin M. (2000). Patient perception of quality following a visit to a doctor in a primary care unit. Fam Pract;17, 21-29
12.
Hall J. and Roter D. (1995). Patient gender and communication with physicians: results of a community-based study. Womens Health;1, 77-95
13.
Hannay D., Sunners C. and Platts M. (1997). Patients' perceptions of primary health care in an inner-city practice. Family Practice;14, 355-360
14.
Haq M. ( 1993). Understanding older adult satisfaction with primary health care services at a nursing center. Appl Nurs Res;6, 125-131
15.
Harrison A. (1996). Patients' evaluations of their consultations with primary health clinic doctors in the United Arab Emirates. Fam Pract;13, 59-66
16.
Kloezel K., Bertoni A., Irazqui M., Campos V. and Santos R. (1998).Quality control in primary health care. I- consumer satisfaction. Cad Saude Publica;14, 623-628
17.
Kurata N., Phillips D., Hoffman S. and Werblum M. (1992). Patient and provider satisfaction with medical care. J Fam Pract;35, 176-179
18.
Lim H., TAN C, GOH L and LIN S (1998). Why do patients complain? A primary health care study. Singapore Med J; 39, 390-395
19.
Madhok R., Hameed A. and Bhopal R. (1998). Satisfaction with health services among the Pakistani population in Middlesbrough, England. J Pub Health Med; 20, 295-301
20.
Mainsous A., Griffith C. and Love M. (1999). Patient satisfaction with care in programs for low-income individuals. J Community Health;24, 381-391
21.
Mansour A. and Al-Osimy M. (1993). A study of satisfaction among primary health care patients in Saudi Arabia. J Community Health;18, 163-173
22.
Martinez J., Mateos C., Perula L., Rodriguez A., Criado A., Jimenz C. and Baena M. (1990). Socioeconomic factors: do they influence the demand for care and the degree of satisfaction in primary care? Aten-Primaria;7, 106-111
23.
Newman R., Gloyd S., Nyangezi J., Machobo F. and Muiser J. (1998). Satisfaction with outpatient health care services in Manica Province, Mozambique. Health Policy Plan; 13, 174-180
24.
Phillips D. and Brooks F. (1998). Age differences in women's verdicts on the quality of primary health care services. BrJ Gen Pract;48, 1151-1154
25.
Poulton B. (1996). Use of the consultation satisfaction questionnaire to examine patients' satisfaction with general practitioners and community nurses : reliability, replicability and discriminant validity. BrJ Gen Pract;46, 26-31
26.
Sargeant A. and Kaeler J. (1998). Factors of patient satisfaction with medical services: the case of GP practices in the UK. Health Mark Q;16, 55-77
27.
Schmittdiel J., Selby J., Grumbach K. and Quesenburry C.( 1997). Choice of a personal physician and patient satisfaction in a Health Maintenance Organization. JAMA;278, 1596-1599
28.
Smith R., Lyles J., Mettler J., Marshall A., Van-Egeren L., Stoffelmayr B., Osborn G. and Shebroe V. (1995). A strategy for improving patient satisfaction by intensive training of residents in psychological medicine: a controlled, randomized study. Acad Med;70, 729-732
29.
Smith S., Nicol K., Devereux J. and Corn-Bleet M. (1999). Encounters with doctors: quantity and quality . Palliat Med;13, 217-223
30.
Stewart M., Brown J., Boon H., Galaida J., Meredith L. and Sangster M. (1999). Evidence on patient-doctor communication. Cancer Prev Control;3, 25-30
31.
Tucker L. (1998). The importance of caring as a determinant of patient satisfaction among active duty beneficiaries. Mil Med;163, 758-760
32.
Young A., Byles and Dobson A. (1998). Women's satisfaction with general practice consultations. Med J Aust;168, 386-389
33.
Zemencuk J., Hayward R., Skarupski K. and Katz S. (1999). Patients' desires and expectations for medical care: a challenge to improving patient satisfaction. Am J Med Qual;14, 21-27
