Evaluation of the Effect of Sociodemographic Characteristics on the Satisfaction of Mothers in Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Turkey

Background: Patient and parent satisfaction is a significant indicator for the evaluation of quality of care in healthcare systems. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of sociodemographic characteristics on the satisfaction of the parents of newborns admitted in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in maternity and infant disease hospitals. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on 113 mothers with infants admitted in the NICU of a state hospital in Turkey during April 1-September 30, 2013.Data were collected using sociodemographic questionnaire and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) healthcare satisfaction scale. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics (mean and percentage), T-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: In this study, mean score of maternal satisfaction with NICU services was 65.66±20.01. No statistically significant differences were observed between maternal age, PedsQL satisfaction subscales, and total score of satisfaction. Moreover, statistically significant associations were observed between the following variables: maternal training and total satisfaction, employment status and subscales of PedsQL, technical skills and general satisfaction, and social security status and emotional support. However, no statistically significant differences were observed between the sociodemographic characteristics of newborns, total score of satisfaction, and mean scores of PedsQL satisfaction subscales in mothers. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, level of maternal satisfaction with NICU services was higher than the international average. Therefore, it is recommended that NICU nurses offer sufficient emotional support for both mothers and neonates in this unit and allow mothers to stay with their infants during hospitalization. Furthermore, it is suggested that training programs be implemented on effective communication skills between nurses and patients.