Patient-Provider Satisfaction and Communication in U.S. Prenatal Care: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Health Services Research
• Patient Experience

Background:

• Systematic review examining patient-provider satisfaction in U.S. prenatal care.
• Addresses key factors influencing satisfaction during prenatal care encounters.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors influencing patient-provider satisfaction in U.S. prenatal care.
• To synthesize existing research on provider communication and patient satisfaction in the prenatal context.

Main Methods:

• Systematic search of 36 online databases for peer-reviewed research (1993-2018).
• Included 32 articles meeting eligibility criteria for qualitative content analysis.
• Assessed article quality using established assessment tools.

Main Results:

• Effective patient-provider communication is crucial for satisfaction.
• Patients express a need for more comprehensive information.
• Hispanic and African American women reported lower satisfaction levels.

Conclusions:

• Future research should explore practitioner demographics and patient characteristics (e.g., age, religion, immigration status, disability).
• Investigate factors contributing to lower satisfaction among minority groups.
• Enhance understanding of diverse patient needs in prenatal care.