17-08-2012, 03:01 PM
Factors affecting utilization of dental health services and satisfaction among adolescent females in Riyadh City
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Abstract Objectives:
This study was conducted to determine factors affecting utilization of dental
health services among intermediate female school students in Riyadh. In addition to assessing their
satisfaction with the dental care received during the last dental visit.
Subjects and methods: Self-administered questionnaires were distributed among students attending
eight public and four private schools. These schools were selected randomly to represent the
four different administrative zones in Riyadh.
Results: Of 600 questionnaires distributed, 531 were complete and suitable for analysis. Nearly
three quarters of the students visited the dentist more than once during the last 2 years. A bout 75%
had their treatment in private dental clinics and 63% made their visits for routine treatment. The
quality of dental care was found to be the most encouraging factor for utilization of dental services,
whereas, far geographic location of the dental clinics was the most discouraging factor. For those
who received treatment in the government clinics, the most discouraging factor was post operative
complications (P <0.0001), while the most encouraging factor was the availability of friendly staff
(P <0.0001).
Introduction
Patients concerns, desires and views of health care services
need to be investigated carefully because of their potential impact
on the utilization and satisfaction (Saeed and Mohamed,
2002; Roth and Schoolcraft, 1998). Quality assessment programs
involve many methods of health care evaluation according
to the type of information required. Most of these
programs involve patient chart reviews, clinical examinations,
dental clinics, and satisfaction with dental care (Butters and
Willis, 2000; Albriecht and Hoogstraten, 1998).
Information through patients’ surveys has proven to be a
successful way of strategic evaluation and improving the quality
of health services (Saeed and Mohamed, 2002; Roth and
Schoolcraft, 1998). Recently patients’ perceptions, views, and
satisfaction with dental health care services, in addition to
the professional judgment, became recognized measures of
the quality and central component of quality assurance
programs (Saeed and Mohamed, 2002; Butters and Willis,
2000).
Subjects and methods
The study protocol was approved by ethics committee at the
College of Dentistry Research Center, King Saud University
and Ministry of Education, Saudi Arabia.
Eight intermediate public and four private schools were selected
randomly from the four different administrative zones
[north, south, east and west] in Riyadh City. The number of
selected students for each zone was based on the number of
schools and number of the students enrolled in them. Data
for this study was obtained through the use of a self-administered
Arabic questionnaire. The questionnaire was pretested to
ensure items clarity and modifications were done accordingly.
Six hundred questionnaires were distributed to the students.
The students were requested to answer the questionnaire in
their class rooms in the presence of their teachers and the
investigator. However, participation in the study was voluntary.
Discussion
Investigating patients’ views, desires, opinions, and satisfaction
with dental care may provide useful information to those
who are interested in understanding or predicting patients’
behavior and opinion about the dental services. This study included
five factors (access, availability/convenience, cost, pain
and quality) which represent the main sources of satisfaction
or dissatisfaction with dental services. The participants were
asked to evaluate the factors which encourage/discourage their
use of the dental services in addition to the level of satisfaction
with the dental services.
Conclusions
Findings of this study indicated that adolescent’s choice and
utilization of dental service can be improved if dental clinics
were located closer to their homes and if they provided high
quality of dental care with reasonable fees.
High quality of dental care, modern equipped dental clinic
which recommended by a relative or a friend and have friendly
staff, in addition to getting convenient appointments were
found to increase students ‘satisfaction significantly.