title: Patient satisfaction in two Chinese provinces: rural and urban differences.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  While international research on patient satisfaction on healthcare has grown tremendously in the past three decades, little research has been conducted concerning healthcare-related patient satisfaction in China. This study was designed to examine what factors including patients' characteristics and ease of access to care are associated with level of patient satisfaction and how such satisfaction might differ across rural and urban populations in China. This study also serves as an evaluation of the recent healthcare reforms that have taken place in China, which were expected to equalize satisfaction between rural and urban patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey to assess satisfaction among patients attending county-level hospitals in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty county-level hospitals in two provinces of China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five patients from each of the 40 county-level hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient satisfaction measured with 15 questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Perceived convenience was significantly associated with patient satisfaction among all participants. The new rural cooperative medical insurance scheme (NRCMIS) was associated with higher overall satisfaction among the rural residents. Age and income were significantly related to satisfaction only among rural patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rural residents benefit greatly from the implementation of NRCMIS. Future reform could be more effective by catering the needs of each specific group (e.g. low-income population, rural population, etc.) identified by this study.
authors: National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
authors: Zhihua
authors: Z
authors: Yan
authors: Dai
authors: D
authors: Wan
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006766:Hospitals, County; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012424:Rural Population; D014505:Urban Population