Title: Evaluation of Community Satisfaction with field-based Primary care Services in a village in North India
Authors: Dr Ashish Abraham Thankachan, Dr Isaac Rajesh, Dr Shavinder Singh
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v5i6.11
Abstract
Background: Health care systems with a strong foundation of Primary health Care are recognized for improving the overall health of populations. Higher degree of beneficiary satisfaction has always been associated with improved health status and has worked as an important predictor of health outcomes, compliance with treatment and community involvement.
Aims: To assess satisfaction with field-based primary care services currently being implemented in the village of Laltonkalan.
Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study in which interviews were conducted at the community level. For the field survey, a semi-structured questionnaire was used regarding the field services in the village of Laltonkalan using cluster sampling technique. Data was entered in Epi Data and analyzed using SPSS.
Results: Majority of the respondents were female (54.7%), married (84.7%) and housewife (43.3%). More than half of the respondents were between 40-60 years. Majority of the respondents (98.5%) received Health Education and FP advice and almost 60% availed Immunization and growth monitoring services. Almost 84% respondents were very satisfied with the services provided at home. Only 8% of the respondents did not find the health worker's visit useful for them.
Conclusion: In the study, high level of satisfaction was reported with the services provided in the community however additional services such as house visits by doctor, laboratory investigations and provision of medicines were desired by the participants. The study also revealed that majority of the people did not have any barriers to health but among those who reported having barriers to better health, financial constraints was the most common hindrance.
Keywords: Primary health care, Community, Satisfaction, Health worker, House visits, Field-based.
