Abstract:
Background: Satisfied client is more likely to comply with prescribed medical treatment and
completion of treatment. This is crucial for Tuberculosis prevention control programs especially
in high burden countries like Ethiopia. In pastoralist settings of Ethiopia, tuberculosis treatment
is exclusively given by public health facilities using directly observed treatment approach but
little is known about patients‟ satisfaction about the service. Therefore, this study was aimed to
determine patients‟ satisfaction with TB care and its determinants at Laga Hida Woreda of Bale
zone, Oromia region.
Methods: Facility based cross sectional study was undertaken May 25 to June 25, 2016.
Structured questionnaire was used to conduct exit interview to all TB patients who were on
treatment for at least one week during study period. Data was entered Epi data version 3.1 and
exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Descriptive data was presented using text, tables and
graphs. Logistic regression was used to determine association between the dependent and
independent variables. A P-value at 95% CI was declared statistically significant.
Result: Two hundred five (93%) of TB patients were participated in the study. The finding
revealed that 70.2% of TB patients satisfied towards the overall TB care while, higher study
participants, 184(89.7%) and 189(92%) were satisfied with the cleanliness of instruments used
by the provider and completeness of information given to them respectively. Meanwhile, quite
low patients, 103(50.2%) and 113(55%) were satisfied with physical accessibility to DOTS
facility/the health center/ and with overall comfort of the waiting area. Being informed about
side effects of the drug [AOR=0.22, 95% CI: 0.09, 0.55] and length of waiting time [AOR=0.11,
95% CI: 0.046, 0.26] were found to be significantly associated with the overall satisfaction.
Conclusion: Majority of the study participants were satisfied toward the general TB care
services received. Information provision on possible side effects and length of time spent at
waiting area were found to be significantly associated with overall satisfaction and, hence, giving
great emphasis for information on the possible side effects of regimen and making efforts to
reduce waiting times (to 30 min at most) are forwarded consideration.
