Patient Satisfaction and Perceptions Regarding Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) Services in Rural Southwestern Uganda

Abstract

Background: Patient satisfaction and perception of the healthcare services received contribute to compliance with treatment guidelines, retention in care, and adherence to recommendations. This is especially so in the treatment of chronic medical conditions such as HIV/AIDS. The success of antiretroviral therapy (ART) plays a fundamental role in determining the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs). However, although the majority of global ART services are being offered in low-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the available literature on satisfaction and perception on ART services is mainly from developed countries. This paper describes the perceived patient satisfaction and perceptions of ART services offered in rural southwestern Uganda. Methods: A cross-sectional study using qualitative and quantitative methods was conducted at Nsiika Health Centre (H.C.)-IV among 135 people living with the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV). A researcher administered a questionnaire and 13 in-depth interviews were used to collect the data. The 135 participants were randomly sampled and convenience sampling was used for the participants for the in-depth interviews. We used descriptive statistics for the characteristics of the participants and thematic analysis for the qualitative data to generate four themes and 27 subthemes. Results: Majority of the participants (51.9%) were female; 45.2% had no formal education and were subsistence farmers (81.4%). The patients perceived healthcare workers as having positive attitudes, quality services/skills, and involving them in decision-making for their care. The age range of respondents was 18-50 years, and 71.1% were married. Overall, the participants were satisfied with ART services and had positive perceptions towards ART services, especially privacy (54.8%), good clinical competencies (50.37%) and quality of healthcare (38.5%). More than half of the participants (56.3%) said they would recommend the health facility to their family and friends. Conclusion: Overall, the participants were satisfied and had positive perceptions about ART services. Continuous assessment of satisfaction and perceptions is recommended to ensure retention in the ART services.