Comparison of Patient Satisfaction with the Nursing Care Quality in Medical and Surgical Wards between Developed and Developing Countries: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Patient Satisfaction (PS) is a key indicator of health‑care service quality. This review compared PS in medical and surgical wards among developed and developing countries. Materials and Methods: This systematic review of cross‑sectional studies was conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Related articles were identified through a search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases using a combination of relevant terms from January 2000 to December 2022. The Newcastle–Ottawa Scale was used to evaluate the quality of related studies. Narrative synthesis was used for the extracted data. Results: Out of 7656 records retrieved, 61 studies met the inclusion criteria. The studies used three reporting schemes for PS: the overall status of PS, the percentage of satisfied patients, and the mean and standard deviation of PS scores. The overall status of PS was higher in developed countries compared to developing countries. In developing countries, 59.25% of studies reported high levels of satisfaction, while in developed countries, all seven studies reported high levels. The percentage of satisfied patients varied, with a higher percentage in developed countries. In developing countries, nine studies reported over 75% satisfaction, 12 studies reported 50%–75% satisfaction, and three studies reported less than 50% satisfaction. In contrast, developed countries had one study reporting over 75% satisfaction and one study reporting 35%–61% satisfaction. Conclusions: Low PS in developing countries necessitates better nursing care. A global standard for assessing PS is needed for improved health‑care service quality monitoring worldwide.