Patient Satisfaction: a Survey of Dental Outpatients at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital; Nigeria

Background:Patient satisfaction with dental services has received minimal attention in Nigeria. Quality of service is however; an integral part of any business. The study assessed dental outpatients' satisfaction with oral health care delivery a tertiary institution in Nigeria. The perceptions of the oral health care provider and suggestions that will improve service delivery were also obtained from these consumers. Methods: A modified Dental Satisfaction Questionnaire (DSQ) was used to assess the patients. An aggregate score was also calculated for each respondent for all variables tested under the five items on dental patient satisfaction.The highest possible score was 76; based on the number of items assessed. The cut off point for satisfaction was set at 38. Results: Three hundred patients participated in the study. The items with the top three scores were dentist-patient relationship (respect/listen); rapport and infection control with mean scores of 3.5; 3.4; and 3.3 respectively.The range for the aggregate score for level of satisfaction was 16-68. High level of satisfaction reported in 159 (53) of the respondents and low level in 141 (47). Dissatisfaction was expressed with regards to the infrastructure; electricity/regular supply of water and being treated by unsupervised students in 85.7; 59.5and 89respectively.Conclusions:The overall high level of satisfaction was related to the communication skills and rapport of staff with the patients.There is an urgent need for improvement on infrastructure and provision of a steady supply of water and electricity

Coping with Oral Pain: Lay Management Strategies Adopted by Patients Prior to Presentation

Objectives:To identify lay measures taken by patients in response to oral pain before seeking professional care and to determine factors leading to demand for professional oral health care.Methods: A cross-sectional survey of patients aged 16 years and above who presented with oral pain at the oral diagnosis clinics of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital was carried out. Data was collected by means of questionnaires which sought information on onset and duration of pain; character; aggravating and relieving factors and actions taken by the patients before presentation at the dental clinic. Results: A total of 215 patients participated. More than half of them described their pain as severe to very severe with 106(49.3) and 21(9.8) reporting sleep disruptions and severe agony respectively. Delay in presentation range from over a month in 56(26) patients to years in 85(39.5). Responses to pain symptoms included; communication with different persons for advice in 192(89.3) and application of at least one lay measure in 183(85.1) patients. Duration and persistence of pain was associated significantly with the use of more than one measure. There was no association between gender or age and the use of lay measures. Use of measures with possible adverse effects like petrol and acid was reported in 5(2.7) of the respondents. Conclusion: Lay strategies in response to oral pain are common in this Nigerian population and appear to be used as an alternative to professional oral health care

Gender Differences related to HIV/AIDS in South West Nigeria

The aim of this study was to determine some underlying gender differences in the pattern of infection in a group of HIV positive patients in Nigeria. It involved 328 consecutive HIV positive patients attending dedicated clinics at four teaching hospitals in the South western part of Nigeria. Information on patients' socio-demographic characteristics and their attitude towards disclosure of their HIV status were collected with an interviewer administered questionnaire. There was a significant difference in the age distribution between the genders with a higher proportion of those younger than 35 years being females and higher proportion of males in the older age groups (p 0.05). A higher proportion of the female respondents were unemployed (73.2); students (88.9) and small scale traders (62.5) compared to the males. There was also a significant difference between the genders concerning disclosure of HIV status with the males more willing to disclose their status compared to the females (p 0.05). Fear of breach of confidentiality and discrimination were the most common reasons given. Conclusion: There is a need for economic empowerment of women as poverty increases the vulnerability of women to the infection