Patient Satisfaction with Pain Management after Caesarean Section Delivery in the Greater Accra Regional Hospital

Abstract

Introduction: Post-caesarean section pain when not managed properly can put mothers through a period of depression affecting mother-to-child bonding. The Greater Accra Regional Hospital (GARH), a tertiary health care facility in Accra, recorded caesarean delivery as the major birthing method, with an estimated 54% caesarean births as against 44.4% of spontaneous vaginal deliveries and 1.6% of vacuum and assisted deliveries in 2019. Despite these high numbers of caesarean births, there is no relevant information on patient satisfaction with pain management after Caesarean Sections. Objective: The purpose of the study was to assess patient satisfaction with pain management after caesarean section delivery in GARH. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study design was used in this study to randomly sample 154 women who delivered at the GARH by caesarean section within the month of September 2020, at least 7 days post the caesarean section. An interviewer - administered structured questionnaire was used to elicit responses on satisfaction with pain management as well as individual factors, clinical/drug related factors and health provider factors from respondents via phone interviews. Data was analysed in STATA v.16 using chi square and multiple logistic regression with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: The proportion of respondents satisfied with pain management after caesarean section delivery at the GARH was 51.3%. Respondents who had tertiary education (aOR = 20.17; 95% CI = 1.35 – 301.83; p = 0.030), respondents who felt 10% - 50% of pain post caesarean section delivery, (aOR = 911.49; 95% CI = 1.93 – 431062.30; p = 0.030) and respondents who felt 60% - 100% pain relief post caesarean section delivery (aOR = 35.17; 95% CI = 6.83 – 181.09; p < 0.001) were more likely to be satisfied with post caesarean section pain management offered at the GARH. Conclusion: More than half of the respondents were satisfied with their pain management after Caesarean delivery. Tertiary education, low level of pain felt after the surgery as well as level of pain relief felt post CS were significantly associated with patient’s satisfaction with pain management after Caesarean section delivery. Pain management post CS at the GARH should be revised to improve patient satisfaction.