Comparison of patients satisfaction in public and private teaching hospitals of Islamabad

Background: Patient satisfaction is recognized as an important indicator of quality for health services provided by hospitals

Objectives: To assess and compare patients' satisfaction with services provided in public and private sector hospitals and to determine the factors associated with patients' satisfaction in these hospitals

Study design, settings and duration: A cross sectional comparative study done in public and private teaching hospitals of Islamabad from September 2014 to July 2015

Patients and Methods: Patients visiting public and private teaching hospitals of Islamabad were randomly interviewed to assess their satisfaction using SERVQUAL instrument. Z-test was used for significance and Spearman test was used to see the association between patients' satisfaction and age, level of education, number of admissions, waiting time for doctor after admission and number of days at hospital while chi-square test was used to see the significant association between patients' satisfaction and type of admission, marital status and gender

Results: A total of 240 patients were entered in the study. Overall patients' satisfaction scores in private sector were higher than public sector hospitals [p< 0.001]. Patients' satisfaction scores within public and private hospitals showed no significant difference. Overall married persons were more satisfied [p< 0.001]. There was a weaker correlation between satisfaction and number of time the patient was admitted, level of education, number of admissions, number of days at hospital; but no significant association was seen with age, gender and type of admission. No correlation was found between satisfaction and waiting time for doctor after admission

Conclusion: Overall Patients' satisfaction in private sector hospitals was higher than in public sector hospitals because the quality of care is higher in private sector hospitals. However, patients of private sector hospital are less satisfied than those of public sector on the indicator of accessibility and affordability

Nursing students' perceptions of their educational environment in the bachelor's programs of the Shifa College of Nursing, Pakistan / 보건의료교육평가

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to evaluate nursing students' perceptions of their educational environment in a private college. Perceptions were compared between genders and 2 bachelor's programs. METHODS: A total of 219 students participated in this study, drawn from the Generic Bachelor of Science in Nursing (GBSN) and the Post-Registered Nurse Bachelor of Science in Nursing (PRBSN) programs of the Shifa College of Nursing, Islamabad, Pakistan. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure was utilized for data collection. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate total scores, as well as means and standard deviations, and the t-test was applied for comparisons according to program and gender. RESULTS: The overall total mean score (119 of 200) is suggestive of more positive than negative perceptions of the educational environment. The mean score of 13 of 28 on the social self-perception subscale suggests that the social environment was felt to be ‘not a nice place. The t-test revealed more positive perceptions among students enrolled in the PRBSN program (P<0.0001) than among those enrolled in the GBSN program and more positive perceptions among female students than among male students (P<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Commonalities and differences were found in the perceptions of the nursing students. Both positive and negative perceptions were reported; the overall sense of a positive environment was present, but the social component requires immediate attention, along with other unsatisfactory components. Establishing a supportive environment conducive to competence-based learning would play an important role in bringing desirable changes to the educational environment.

Prevalence of pneumoconiosis among coal miners of Cherat, district Nowshera - Pakistan

The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of pneumoconiosis among coal miners. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 coalminers of Cherat, District Nowshera, KPK, Pakistan, from July 2012 to June2013. Coal miners who worked for more than six months were included. Medical camps were arranged in study areas in which Pulmonary Function Tests and CXR was conducted to estimate the prevalence of pneumoconiosis. The demographic variables were also noted on a semi structured proforma. The medical examinations of coal miner's revealed that approximately71% [n=284] of coal miners have sign and symptoms of occupational respiratory health problems. The coal miners showed an increased prevalence of coal workers pneumoconiosis [49.50%] i.e. about 47% [n=188] on Chest X-rays [P/A View] and 52.50% [n=210] on Pulmonary Function Tests has findings of coal workers pneumoconiosis. Only 31.75% [n=127] of coal miners have normal pulmonary function tests and 35% [n=140] have normal chest x-ray findings during medical assessment. The prevalence of the pneumoconiosis was high [49.50%] among the Cherat coal miners; and needs proper consideration and attention from the health sector and mining department in order to reduce the high burden of pneumoconiosis among coal miners