Health care service quality: a comparison of public and private hospitals in karachi

The objective of the study was to compare the levels of patient satisfaction with the health service quality between the public and private hospitals in Karachi, so that their gaps, if any, may be identified and incorporated in future programs and policies. Cross sectional comparative study. This study was conducted in one public and one private hospitals in Karachi from May 2013 to July 2013. A random sample of 400 patients, 200 each from both public and private hospitals was drawn. Data was collected, on a pre-tested and pre coded questionnaire, and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 level of satisfaction between patients in both the public and private health care settings were compared. The results of the study revealed that 75% of the patients availing health care services at the public hospital were not satisfied with the overall hygiene and cleanliness. 58.5% of the patients at public hospital were not involved in decision making regarding their own treatment. As for the patients availing services at the private hospital, 83.5% mentioned that they were provided with adequate privacy by their physician and hospital staff;however, 51% of the respondents replied that they had to pay huge medical bills which were beyond their affordability. Significant difference was found in the patients' satisfaction level with the quality of health care services provided in the private and public hospitals, with private hospitals performing better in most of the aspects of health care service delivery

Relationship between affect intensity and personality traits among university students

The main objective of the present research -was to determine and understand relationship between Affect Intensity [AI] and personality traits. Keeping in view the literature review it was hypothesized that Extraversion, Agreeableness, Openness/ Intellect, and Conscientiousness would be positively correlated with Positive Affect Intensity and Emotional Stability would be negatively correlated with Negative Affect Intensity among ' students. It was also hypothesized that women would score high on Affect Intensity Measure as compared to men. Sample of 120 participants was taken comprising of equal number of men [n=60] and women [n=60], ranging in age from 18-25 years, and were students of B.Sc and M.Sc. from Bahria University [n=40], Air University [n=35], Islamic International University [n=25], Islamabad and Arid Agriculture University [n=20], Rawalpindi. Affect Intensity Measure [Larsen, 1984] to measure Affect Intensity and Mini Marker Personality Inventory [Saucier, 1994] were used to assess different personality traits like, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Openness/Intellect, Emotional Stability, and Conscientiousness, English versions of both ' measures were used. Alpha reliability coefficients were established to determine the psychometric properties of the two scales. Correlational analysis and Regression analysis was applied to determine the relationship between the variables, and t-test was employed to explore the gender differences. Results/findings indicates that Extraversion [r = .27, p<.01], Agreeableness [r = .29, p<, 01], Openness/Intellect [r = .30, p<.01], and Emotional stability [r = .29, p<.01] are positivelyrelated with Positive Affect Intensity whereas Conscientiousness has insignificant relationship with Positive Affect Intensity. Furthermore, Extroversion [r = -.27, p<.01] is found to he negatively related with Negative Affect intensity whereas insignificant relationship of Agreeableness, Openness/Intellect, Emotional stability and Conscientiousness with Negative Affect intensity is revealed. Regression analysis showed that Extroversion [B = .09, S.E = .05, beta = .17, t =1.97, p < .05] and Emotional Stability [B = .12, S.E = .04, beta = -23, t = 71, p < .01] significantly predicts Positive Affect Intensity, while Extraversion [B = -.22, S.E -.06, beta =-.35, t = -3.81, p < .05] and Emotional Stability [B = -.11, S.E = .05, beta =-.19, t = -2.06, p < .05] has significant negative prediction towards Negative. Affect Intensity. The findings of the present research suggest that Affect Intensity does have significant relationship with personality traits. For Positive and Negative Affect Intensity it can be concluded that Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Openness/Intellect are the major correlating traits. However, Extraversion and Emotional Stability significantly predicts Positive Affect Intensity whereas these traits do not predict Negative Affect Intensity. Gender differences on the Affect Intensity measure revealed that women's scores were significantly high on this construct