title: Quality gap in primary health care services in Isfahan: women's perspective.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Quality gap is the gap between client's understanding and expectations. The first step in removing this gap is to recognize client's understanding and expectations of the services. This study aimed to determine women's viewpoint of quality gap in primary health care centers of Isfahan.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was conducted on women who came to primary health care centers in Isfahan city. Sample size was 1280 people. Service Quality was used to collect data including tangible dimensions, confidence, responsiveness, assurance and sympathy in providing services. Data were analyzed by t test and chi square test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that women had controversy over all 5 dimensions. The least mean quality gap was seen in assurance (-11.08) and the highest mean quality gap was seen in tangible dimension (-14.41). The difference between women's viewpoint in all 5 dimensions was significant. (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Negative difference means clients' expectations are much higher than their understanding of the current situation, so there is a large space to improve services and satisfy clients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Education, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Gholam R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Sharifirad
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shamsi
authors.forename: Asiyeh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pirzadeh
authors.forename: Parvin D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Farzanegan
keywords: Isfahan; primary health care; quality gap; women
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