Consumer expectations and consumer satisfaction with prenatal care at three public health clinics

This study was designed to consider factors that might be used to predict which women will drop out of prenatal care in public health clinics, and consumer satisfaction with prenatal care in public health clinics. Data were collected from 124 women initiating care at three clinics in Salt Lake City and Ogden. Variables were organized into derived measures of socioeconomic status, social support, knowledge and expectations at the onset of care. These variables were then used to predict which women would stay in prenatal care and examined the data in relationship to satisfaction with care received. Conclusions are that expectations play an important role in satisfaction ratings and that it is possible to identify women at the onset of prenatal care who are more likely to drop out of care. These findings have implications for further research in consumer satisfaction, as well as policy implications for public health planners and care providers.