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It Is Time to Take Complaints Seriously? An Exploratory Analysis of Communications Sent by Users to a Public Healthcare Agency before, during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

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  • Claudia Venuleo

    (Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Salento, Via di Valesio s.n.c, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

  • Tiziana Marinaci

    (Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Salento, Via di Valesio s.n.c, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

  • Camilla Cucugliato

    (Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Salento, Via di Valesio s.n.c, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

  • Sonia Giausa

    (Local Health Agency (ASL) of Lecce, Via Miglietta 5, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

Abstract

Taking due account of users’ perspectives is crucial for improving the quality of healthcare services. This study aimed to analyse the representations and evaluation criteria that users of a public health agency express towards care and treatment services and to explore whether and how the content and meaning of their communications varied according to pre-pandemic, pandemic or post-pandemic periods. A total of 501 communications sent to the public relations office of an Italian health agency were collected. An automatic content analysis procedure was applied to the textual corpus. Four main thematic cores were identified concerning the request for care and respect, the value of the doctor–patient relationship and the difficulties in contacting services and accessing care. Two main latent dimensions of meaning were identified, which capture the dialectic between the demand for relationships and the demand for access to care, and between attention to the relational competence of health workers and attention to the needs and rights of users. Communications collected during the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods mainly concern the difficulty of access to care; those collected during the pandemic period mainly concern the doctor–patient relationship. Interpersonal aspects and timely access to care appear to be crucial in users’ assessment of the quality of care.

Suggested Citation

  • Claudia Venuleo & Tiziana Marinaci & Camilla Cucugliato & Sonia Giausa, 2024. "It Is Time to Take Complaints Seriously? An Exploratory Analysis of Communications Sent by Users to a Public Healthcare Agency before, during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(10), pages 1-21, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:10:p:1299-:d:1488033
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Isolde M. Busch & Francesca Moretti & Giulia Travaini & Albert W. Wu & Michela Rimondini, 2019. "Humanization of Care: Key Elements Identified by Patients, Caregivers, and Healthcare Providers. A Systematic Review," The Patient: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Springer;International Academy of Health Preference Research, vol. 12(5), pages 461-474, October.
    2. Renato Santos De Almeida & Stéphane Bourliataux-Lajoinie & Mônica Martins, 2015. "Satisfaction measurement instruments for healthcare service users: a systematic review," Post-Print hal-03165065, HAL.
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