| dc.description.abstract | Cervical Cancer (CC) is a major problem of public health importance especially for
women from the developing countries. Cervical cancer screening is an important public
health measure because when detected early can be treated. The cervical cancer screening
clinic of University College Hospital (UCH) had been opened since 2003, but clients'
level of satisfaction had not been assessed. This study therefore, assessed clients' level of
satisfaction
with services received at the CC Screening Clinic, U C H, lbadan.
The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional survey. All the 254 clients who visited the
clinic for Pap smear during the three months period of the study were invited to participate
in the study. However only 160 clients consented to participate in the study (63% response
rate) A validated questionnaire was used to obtain data from the respondents using an exit-interview approach. Data were analyzed using descriptive and Chi-square statistics.
The respondents' mean age was 42 ±10.2 years. More than half of the respondents (56.3%)
had tertiary education, 29.4% had secondary education while 8.8% had primary education.
Most of the respondents (65.0%) had heard about cervical screening prior to their referral
to the clinic. Their overall mean knowledge score of cervical cancer was 8.2±0.94 out of
16 points. Respondents' with higher education had higher mean knowledge score 8.5±0.92
than those with lower education 6.4±0.89. Only 23.8% had previously done a Pap smear,
75.6% had never while 0.6% was not sure. The reason adduced by 66.9% of those who'
had never had the Pap smear was lack of awareness about the existence of the clinic. Most
of the respondents (66.3%) were referred from the clinics in UCH and other health
facilities, 26.3% were referred by friends and relations, 5.6% from religious institutions and 1.9% were self-referred. A majority (93.8%) of respondents expressed satisfaction
with the services received in the clinic. The level of satisfaction with the components of
the services of the clinic were as follows: Courtesy of reception at the waiting area
(86.9%), quality of information on CC (54.4%), quality of information provided on Pap
smear (59.4%), privacy (98.1%), counseling (58.1%), prompt attention (88.8%), method
of sterilization of instruments (92.5%), perceived competence of the health workers
(95.6%) and (63.1%) test fee. Few clients (6.9%) reported dissatisfaction with delay in
obtaining result, pain during test (1.3%) and power failure (1.9%). All the respondents
claimed that the health workers addressed them politely. More clients with tertiary
education (55.3%) reported satisfaction with services than those with secondary (31.8%),
and primary education (8.2%). More clients (59.3%) within 40-49 years age range
reported higher level of satisfaction than clients with age range, 50 years and above
(55.3%), 30-39 years (50.0%).
High level of service satisfaction with low self referral for CC screening services was
documented, but previous service utilization was observed to be low. Health education
strategies such as increased community awareness and motivation through communication
materials should be put in place to sustain the quality of the services at the clinic for high
demand. | en_US |
