Clients Expectations And Perception Of Quality Of Antenatal Care Services In Public And Private Health Care Facilities In Surulere Local Government Lagos

Abstract

Background: Antenatal care is an important health service which detects and reduces the risk of complications among pregnant  women. The quality of care is likely to influence effective utilization and compliance with interventions. Lack of adequate quality of antenatal care is a major public health problems contributing significantly to high morbidity and mortality of pregnant women.  Identification of the gaps between expectation and perception of quality of antenatal services will improve antenatal care.
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine and compare factors that influence clients expectations and perception of quality of antenatal care services in public and private primary care facilities.
Method: This is a comparative, cross-sectional study that assessed the factors that influence client's perception of quality of antenatal care services on public and private primary health care facilities on Surulere Local Government. Data was collected using an adapted Servqual instrument questionnaires administered by interviewers to 418 women receiving antenatal care services selected through systematic sampling. Data was analysed with Epi-Info version 7.0.9.7 .
Result: The mean aggregate expectation and perception scores were higher in the private health facilities (82.21 and 82.18) than public  health facilities (80.43 and 79.65). Proportions with positive expectation and perception were higher in the private health facilities (49.8% and 55.5%) than public health facilities (28.2% and 20.6%). The proportion with positive perception was significantly lower than the proportion with positive expectation in public health facilities.
Conclusion: The women receiving antenatal care in private health facilities had higher positive expectation and perception of quality of care than women receiving antenatal care in public health facilities.

Keywords: Perception, Expectation, Quality, Antenatal care