Assessment of Antiretroviral Therapy Monitoring Laboratory Services Quality in Governmental Hospitals at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

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Date

2011-06

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Addis Abeba University

Abstract

Background: - Despite the fact that Ethiopia is accelerating its ART program, little is known about the quality of ART monitoring laboratory services in health facilities. Objective: - To assess the quality of ART monitoring laboratory services in public hospitals of Addis Ababa with emphasis on client satisfaction, providers’ views, functional & structural status of the ART monitoring laboratory service. Methods: - Hospital based, descriptive cross sectional study was conducted from October to November 2010. In this study both quantitative and qualitative design forms were used. A total of 422 clients were considered for exit interview about their satisfaction towards ART monitoring laboratory services using structured questionnaire. To assess the structural and functional aspects of ART monitoring laboratories, observation checklist was used. In-depth interview of providers were conducted to assess their views on quality of ART monitoring laboratory services. Data were coded and entered using EPI info 2002 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta, GA) and analyzed using SPSS version 15 software (SPSS INC, Chicago, IL, USA). Satisfaction score was calculated by giving a value of one for very satisfied. A value of two was assigned for response of satisfied; three for neutral response. Values of four and five were given for dissatisfied and very dissatisfied responses respectively. The mean, median and mode scores for the overall satisfaction were calculated. Median of the summary score of satisfaction was used to classify as satisfied and none satisfied since the distribution of summary scores was skewed. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were also used to examine the effect of selected variables on patients’ satisfaction with ART monitoring laboratory services by using Odds Ratio (OR) with a 95% Confidence Interval (CI). P-Value less than 0.05 were taken as statistically significant. Variables that were found with a statistically significant association (p<0.05) at univariate logistic analysis were entered and analyzed by multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: - A total response rate of 406 (96.2%) from 422 sample size was obtained. Among those 255(62.8%) were females. The overall satisfaction rate was 47.5%. The major determinants for none satisfaction were lack of space in blood drawing room to put client personal thing (AOR= 3.377, 95% CI 1.511-7.550, P=0.00), lack of information regarding bruises following blood drawing (AOR= 2.029; CI 1.162-3.542, P=0.01 ),waiting time to get laboratory results (AOR= 4.096; CI 1.769-9.485, P=0.00), needle stick while attempting to draw blood (AOR=7.769, 95% CI 1.280-47.166, P=0.02), waiting time to get blood drawing service (AOR= 7.643, 95% CI 2.62722.236, P=0.00). None of the hospital laboratory had guideline for disposal of damaged or expired laboratory reagents. Equipment maintenance was one of the major problems found in almost all public hospital of the city providing ART services during in-depth interview of providers. Conclusion:-The overall satisfaction level of clients with ART monitoring laboratory services was 47.5%. Accessibility and availability of latrines, ability of phlebotomist to answer questions raised by clients and comfort of chairs in blood drawing room were considered the most significant factors for low satisfaction levels. Equipment maintenance was a major challenge in rendering ART monitoring laboratory services in public hospitals.

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Keywords

Antiretroviral Therapy ,Laboratory Services,Quality

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