Are we too far from being client centered?

Quality of service provision in health facilities is fundamental to ensure effective care. However, women's actual experience of care is often neglected.

To assess perceived quality of institutional delivery services and associated factors among women who delivered in public health facilities of Southwest Ethiopia.

Community based cross-sectional study was conducted in three districts of Jimma zone, Southwestern Ethiopia, from February 29 to March 20, 2016. A total of 423 mothers who delivered in public health facilities during the last 12 months were selected to participate in the study. Study participants were identified using simple random sampling procedure. Principal component analysis was used to generate scores for three sub-dimensions of perceived quality. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of these sub-dimensions.

Perceived quality of institutional delivery services was measured with three dimensions: perceived interpersonal interaction, health care delivery and health facility/structure. We found that perceived quality of interpersonal interaction was negatively affected by educational level (read and write) (β: -0.331, 95% CI: -0.523, -0.140), urban residence (β: -0.485, 95% CI: -0.696, -0.275), antenatal care (less than three visits) (β: -0.238, 95% CI: -0.419,-0.056) and delivery service attended by male provider (β: -1.286, 95% CI: -1.463,-1.109). Perceived quality of health care delivery was negatively associated with still birth (β: -0.642, 95% CI: -1.092,-0.193) and delivery services attended by male provider (β: -0.689, 95% CI: -0.907,-0.472). Urban residence (β: -0.260, 95% CI: -0.515,-0.005), and antenatal care (less than three visits) (β: -0.394, 95% CI: -0.628,-0.161) were negatively associated with perceived quality of health facility/structure.

Overall, the perceived quality of institutional delivery services was low. We recommend that health managers and health care providers jointly work to transform birth care at the health facilities to deliver person-centered care. Addressing the preferences of clients is as important as taking care of structural concerns pinpointed in this study.