Client perspective assessment of women’s satisfaction towards labour and delivery care service in public health facilities at Arba Minch town and the surrounding district, Gamo Gofa zone, south Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: A woman’s satisfaction with labour and delivery care service has a good effect on her health and subsequent utilization of the services. Thus knowledge about women’s satisfaction on labour and delivery care used to enhances the services utilization. The objective of this study was to assess the satisfaction of women’s towards labour and delivery care service and identify factors associated it at public health facilities in Arba Minch town and the surrounding district, Gamo Gofa zone, southern Ethiopia. METHODS: Facility based cross sectional study was conducted among women who gave birth at public health facility. A total 256 women who gave birth during the study period were included in the study. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Satisfaction level was measured using a 5 point- likert scale questions. Data were entered using Epi data version 3.5.1 and analyzed using SPSS 20.0 statistical software. Factor analysis was employed for likert scale questions to extract factor represented each of the scale which facilitate treatment of variable as continuous for further analysis. Bi-variate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to identify association between women’s satisfaction and predicator variables. Statistical significance was declared at P value <0.05 on final model. The strength of association was interpreted using the adjusted odds ratio and 95 % CI. RESULT: This study revealed that 90.2 % of women who gave birth in public health facilities were satisfied with labour and delivery care. Factors associated with women’s satisfaction with labour and delivery care services include: not attending formal education [AOR = 8.00, 95 % CI = (1.52, 12.27)] attending antenatal care four times and more [AOR = 5.00, 95 % CI = (1.76, 14.20)] waiting below 15 minutes to be seen by health professional [AOR = 3.37, 95 % CI = (1.14, 9.97)] and not paying for drugs and supplies [AOR = 6.19, 95 % CI = (1.34, 18.59)]. CONCLUSION: Although majority of women were satisfied with the labour and delivery service they got, their level of satisfaction was influenced by educational status, number of ANC visits, waiting time, and payment for drug and supplies. Thus, public health intervention working on improving delivery care should consider these factors.