Overall user satisfaction with family planning services and associated quality care factors: a cross-sectional analysis

BACKGROUND: Studies of user satisfaction with family planning services (FPSs) have been conducted in different countries, and have been employed to identify ways of improving health, reducing costs and implementing reforms. The present work is the first-ever study undertaken in Mexico on the subject. Our objective was to identify how overall user satisfaction with FPSs in Mexico was related to: healthcare logistics, the functional value of services and the quality of interpersonal relations. Methods: Users of 18 public clinics were surveyed in 2015. Data collected referred to their past and present use of FPSs, as well as to their perceptions of the services provided. We built a logistic regression model with potentially influential variables in order to assess their association with overall satisfaction. RESULTS: According to the self-reports of the 722 users interviewed, the following factors were decisive in their overall satisfaction with services: receiving sufficient information during visits (OR = 3.38; 95% CI:1.88–6.06), feeling that their opinions were taken into consideration by clinic staff (OR = 2.58; 95% CI:1.14–5.85), feeling that the motives for their visits were addressed (OR = 2.71; 95% CI:1.29–5.71), being assigned enough time for consultation (OR = 2.35; 95% CI:1.26–4.37), having the opportunity to ask questions and clarify doubts (OR = 2.31; 95% CI:1.21–4.43), experiencing no or few interruptions during their medical consultations (OR = 1.97;95% CI:1.10–3.51), and feeling satisfied with the contraceptive method provided (OR = 1.79; 95% CI:1.03–3.11). CONCLUSIONS: Service providers must be kept well informed on the perspective of users concerning user expectations. Taking into account the cultural context and perceived needs of users while providing service would improve the quality of care and, hence, the overall satisfaction of users.