Abstract:
Background: Patient satisfaction is patient‟s judgment of their desires and expectations of health care
and recognized as an important parameter for assessing the quality of patient care services delivered
by healthcare organizations. Patient evaluation of care is important to provide opportunity for
improvement such as strategic framing of health plans. Yet, studies conducted on disparities of
satisfaction among insured and non-insured patients under community based health insurance at adult
outpatient department in study area were limited. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess
disparities of satisfaction among insured and non-insured adult outpatient department services users
under community based health insurance scheme and identify their associated factors in Arba Minch
town public health facilities, Gamo zone, Southern Ethiopia, 2021.
Method: Facility-based comparative cross sectional study design was conducted from September 20-
October 20, 2021.Data were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaire. Statistical
analysis was done by using SPSS version 25.0. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regressions were
fitted. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was computed, and statistical significance was
decided at a p-value < 0.05.
Result: A total of 564 respondents were included in the study with a response rate of 99%, from
which 250 (44.32%) were insured and 314 (55.67%) were uninsured under community based health
insurance scheme. Study revealed that 233(93.2%; 95% CI=90-96.3) of insured and 247 (78.7%; 95%
CI=74-83.2) of non-insured were satisfied with outpatient services. The overall satisfaction was 480
(85.1%;95%CI=82-88). The findings showed that insurance status [AOR=3.286;95%CI=1.722-
6.271], patients who were perceived easily identifiable direction to the service unit
[AOR=2.385;95%CI=1.211-4.697],availabilities of ordered drugs in health facility
[AOR=4.959;95%CI=2.155-11.412] availabilities of ordered laboratory investigation in health
facility,[AOR=7.956;95%CI=4.501-14.060] and participants whose their education level is diploma
and above[AOR=2.569;95%CI=1.163-5.673] were significantly associated with OPD services
satisfaction.
Conclusion: Insurance status, availability of ordered laboratory investigations, availabilities of
prescribed drugs in health facilities and perceived easily sign and direction to health services unit and
level of education of diploma and above was significant factors of OPD service satisfaction. Health
facilities managers should work on health care quality, equity and supplies to satisfy their customer
