# Determinants of patients' satisfaction with health-care services: the role of patient demographics and individual factors

## TL;DR

This study in Kenya found that patient satisfaction with healthcare is more influenced by communication with providers than by demographics.

## Contribution

The study identifies communication as the strongest predictor of patient satisfaction in Kenya's public health system.

## Key findings

- 49.8% of patients reported being satisfied with healthcare services.
- Effective communication with providers was the strongest predictor of satisfaction.
- Employment status showed a borderline significant association with satisfaction.

## Abstract

Patient satisfaction is a fundamental measure of healthcare quality and service responsiveness. In Kenya's public health system, understanding patient experiences is essential for enhancing care delivery under the UHC agenda. This study examined the influence of socio-demographic and individual factors on patient satisfaction.

A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed involving 277 adult patients selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected via a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 27. Descriptive statistics summarized patient characteristics, while chi-square tests and binary logistic regression identified associations and predictors of satisfaction (p < 0.05).

Overall, 49.8% of respondents reported being satisfied, while 24.6% were dissatisfied. Employment status showed a borderline significant association with satisfaction (χ2 = 21.00, p = 0.050), whereas age (p = 0.855), gender (p = 0.687), income (p = 0.088), education (p = 0.740), and marital status (p = 0.875) were not significant predictors. Among individual-level factors, effective communication with providers was the strongest predictor of satisfaction (B = 0.857, p = 0.0008, OR = 2.357). Other variables such as trust (B = 0.236, p = 0.140), waiting time (B = 0.191, p = 0.079), affordability (B = -0.121, p = 0.419), and understanding of treatment (B = -0.163, p = 0.196) were not statistically significant.

Patient satisfaction was moderate and influenced more by interpersonal interactions than demographic profiles. Communication quality emerged as the most important determinant. Enhancing relational aspects of care through communication training and routine feedback systems may improve satisfaction and align public health services with patient-centered care goals.