Factors associated with patient satisfaction in teaching hospitals in Zahedan (Iran) in 2017: a two-level regression model

Background: Since satisfaction is considered the main factor for improving the quality of healthcare organizations, patients’ satisfaction from healthcare services and hospital staff is very important. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine factors associated with patient satisfaction in teaching hospitals. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 440 patients hospitalized in teaching hospitals affiliated with Zahedan University of Medical Sciences in 2017. Patients were selected using stratified sampling from different departments of which the sample size of each department was proportional to the number of patients from each department. The Goldberg General Health Validity Questionnaire that included questions about satisfaction and mental health was completed by patients. The patients’ satisfaction of the hospital was the dependent variable, and mental health, age, gender, education, occupation, type of insurance, marital status, place of residence, length of stay and number of hospitalization were independent variables. The data were analyzed by a linear two-level regression model in Stata 12. Results: The mean age of the patients was 40.79±19.48 years and 51.6% of them were male. The mean score of patient satisfaction (in a range of 0-20) was 14.96±2.47. Age, education, mental health, and interaction between age and mental health had significant effect on satisfaction (p=0.003, p=0.004, p<0.001, p=0.002). The mean score of satisfaction in patients with elementary education was 1.74 less than that of illiterate patients, and the score of satisfaction in patients with higher education was 2.92 less than that of illiterate patients, and the mental health in low age subgroups had a significant effect on patient satisfaction. There was also significant difference in the satisfaction levels of patients between hospital departments (p<0.001). Conclusions: The satisfaction levels of patients in different departments of the hospitals varied. Also, the patients with high mental health had high satisfaction from healthcare services and hospitals.