Kitole Felician Andrew, Ali Zaiba, Song Jiayi, Ali Muhammad, Fahlevi Mochammad, Aljuaid Mohammed, Heidler Petra, Yahya Muhammad Ali, Shahid Muhammad
Department of Economics, Mzumbe University, Morogoro P.O. Box 5, Tanzania.
Department of Management, Barkatullah University, Bhopal 462026, India.
Healthcare (Basel). 2025 May 5;13(9):1063. doi: 10.3390/healthcare13091063.
Patient satisfaction is a key indicator for improving healthcare delivery, yet the influence of gender preferences on healthcare providers remains underexplored. Cultural norms and gender perceptions often shape the patient preferences, affecting access to care, patient-provider relationships, and overall satisfaction. Thus, this study investigates the patients' gender preferences and their impact on satisfaction in Tanzania. The study utilized a cross-sectional design, collecting data from five health centres: Mikongeni, Konga, Mzumbe, Tangeni, and Mlali. A total of 240 randomly selected respondents participated in the study. Gender preferences were categorized as male, female, and both, and determinants were analyzed using a multivariate probit model (MPM), while satisfaction was analyzed using an ordered logit model (OLM). Results reveal that female providers were preferred for empathy (58.30%), intimate care (50.00%), and receptionist roles (50.00%), while males were favored for surgery (50.00%), professionalism (0.86), and IT roles (41.70%). Professionalism (0.75) and communication (0.70) had the strongest positive effects on very high satisfaction. Male provider preference was strongly linked to higher satisfaction (0.84), while female preference showed a mild effect (0.23). Insurance (0.32) and care at Tangeni Health Centre (0.70) boosted satisfaction, while consultation fees (-0.26) reduced it. The study recommends that healthcare systems address gender stereotypes by equipping all providers with both technical and relational care skills, regardless of gender. It also highlights the need for culturally and religiously sensitive care practices that acknowledge how societal norms shape patient preferences and satisfaction. To enhance patient-centered care, policies should promote affordability, broaden insurance coverage, and integrate patient feedback on gender preferences into healthcare delivery models.
患者满意度是改善医疗服务的关键指标，但性别偏好对医疗服务提供者的影响仍未得到充分探索。文化规范和性别观念常常塑造患者的偏好，影响就医机会、医患关系以及总体满意度。因此，本研究调查了坦桑尼亚患者的性别偏好及其对满意度的影响。该研究采用横断面设计，从五个健康中心收集数据：米孔盖尼、孔加、姆祖姆贝、坦盖尼和姆拉利。共有240名随机抽取的受访者参与了该研究。性别偏好分为男性、女性和两者皆可，使用多元概率单位模型（MPM）分析决定因素，而使用有序逻辑模型（OLM）分析满意度。结果显示，女性医疗服务提供者在同理心（58.30%）、私密护理（50.00%）和接待员角色（50.00%）方面更受青睐，而男性在手术（50.00%）、专业精神（0.86）和信息技术角色（41.70%）方面更受青睐。专业精神（0.75）和沟通（0.70）对非常高的满意度有最强的积极影响。对男性医疗服务提供者的偏好与更高的满意度密切相关（0.84），而对女性的偏好则显示出轻微影响（0.23）。保险（0.32）和在坦盖尼健康中心接受治疗（0.70）提高了满意度，而咨询费（-0.26）则降低了满意度。该研究建议医疗系统通过使所有医疗服务提供者无论性别都具备技术和关系护理技能来解决性别刻板印象问题。它还强调了需要有文化和宗教敏感性的护理实践，承认社会规范如何塑造患者的偏好和满意度。为了加强以患者为中心的护理，政策应促进可负担性、扩大保险覆盖范围，并将患者对性别偏好的反馈纳入医疗服务提供模式。
