WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

Shebeeb Abdul Hussein Syhood*, Abbas Ejbaree Kawad, Mohamed Shakir Mahmood Al-Amari and Zainab Abbas Ijbaree

ABSTRACT

Background: Patient satisfaction is a crucial indicator of healthcare quality and reflects the effectiveness and responsiveness of health services. In oncology settings, understanding patient satisfaction helps identify service gaps and areas for improvement in care delivery. Aim: This study aimed to assess patient satisfaction with services provided at the Oncology Center in Al-Sader Teaching Hospital, Basrah, Iraq. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from March to August 2008. A total of 147 patients were selected through purposive sampling. Participants were interviewed privately and face-to-face at the time of discharge using a standardized questionnaire. The questionnaire assessed various dimensions of patient satisfaction including communication, interpersonal manner, technical quality, accessibility, financial aspects, and time spent with doctors. Pearson’s correlation was used to analyze the relationship between different variables. Results: The majority of participants were adult females aged 45–65 years, married, with low educational attainment, and diagnosed with various types of cancer. The overall satisfaction with the oncology services was poor. The lowest satisfaction levels were associated with financial aspects of care, accessibility and convenience, and time spent with physicians. However, the highest satisfaction scores were reported in the domains of interpersonal manner, followed by communication and technical quality of care. Conclusion: The study highlights significant dissatisfaction among oncology patients, primarily due to systemic and logistical shortcomings. Efforts are needed to improve accessibility, infrastructure, staffing levels, drug availability, and laboratory services to enhance patient satisfaction and reduce suffering.