جامعة العرب

Assessment of Patient Safety Culture among Healthcare Providers in Public Hospitals in Al-Mukalla District, Yemen

Suha Ali Batarfi ¹,² Fouzia F. Bamatraf1
¹Community Medicine Department, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hadhramout University, Al Mukalla, Hadhramout, Yemen
²Community Health Department, Medical Faculty, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

1 Corresponding author.
Suha Ali Batarfi

Tel.: 00601127107155
E-mail address: Batarfisuhaali@gmail.com.

Abstract

Introduction: Patient safety culture is an important measure in evaluating the quality of healthcare and improving patient safety standards. Assessing patient safety culture also allows healthcare organizations to get a clear view of which aspects of patient safety require urgent attention. This study aimed to evaluate patient safety culture among health care workers in public hospitals in Al- Mukalla district – Yemen.
Method: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in three public hospitals from September 1 to the end of November 2014. A stratified sampling method was used to select a healthcare worker. Data was collected using the standard Arabic version of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture. Descriptive and inferential statistics were done with p-values <0.05 indicating statistical significance.
Results: The study showed that the average positive response to patient safety culture for all dimensions was 43%. The dimensions of safety culture that received the highest positive response scores were teamwork within units (77.46%) and organizational learning – continuous improvement (59.11%). All other dimensions received a positive score of less than 50%. Most participants reported no event in the past 12 months, and only 8% gave their hospital an excellent score. There is a significant difference between the patient safety culture score and the age group of the respondents, educational level, staff position, years working either in the hospital, current job or department and direct contact with patients. There was also a statistically significant association between reporting events and education level, staff position and direct contact with patients, and also between patient safety score that participants gave to their hospitals and educational level, staff position and hours of working per week.
Conclusion: Patient safety culture in Al-Mukalla district’s hospitals needs improvement. continuous evaluation and monitoring to attain a safe environment both for patients and healthcare workers is recommended.
Keywords: Patient safety, Patient safety culture, Public hospitals, Healthcare providers, Yemen.

Biography

• PhD student in community health department, faculty of medicine, University Kebangsaan Malaysia – UKM, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• MPH: from Hadramout university
• MBBS: from Hadramout university
• Published 3 research in high impact journal.
• Interested in research about child health, patient safety, health literacy and education.