Ukrainian Crisis Media Center hosted a presentation of the "Health Index. Ukraine", initiated by the International Renaissance Foundation, the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology and School of Public Health at the National University of "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy" for the annual determination of citizens’ actual satisfaction level of medical help in Ukraine.
Ukrainian Crisis Media Center hosted a presentation of the “Health Index. Ukraine”, initiated by the International Renaissance Foundation, the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology and School of Public Health at the National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” for the annual determination of citizens’ actual satisfaction level of medical help in Ukraine.
Among others, the study showed the following results:
The level of satisfaction with local therapists in various regions of Ukraine is markedly different: the highest one is in Mykolaiv (83%), Chernighiv (83%) and Ternopil (84%) regions, the lowest is in Kirovohrad region (47% of satisfied).
Concerning inpatient care, most respondents are satisfied in Ternopil (76%) and Mykolaiv (76%) regions, the least satisfied residents are in Kirovohrad region (29%). Low levels of satisfaction are observed among residents in the city of Kyiv (40%), in Ivano-Frankivsk (43%) and Sumy (45%) regions.
“Satisfaction with health care is a subjective assessment, but it is extremely valuable to feedback from residents in the area for reform, and for dissemination of successful reform practices between different regions,” commented Tetiana Stepurko, the Head of Master program “Health Care Management” at the National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”.
Citizens’ s expense of medicines is another evaluation factor of the health sector functioning. On average, after the examination in outpatients, doctor prescribed 4 medications. Compensation for them from insurance companies received only 2% of respondents, from health insurance – 1%, from the state – 2%. Average cost of purchased medications was 822 UAH (the lowest was in Zhytomyr region – 238 UAH, the highest was in Rivne region – 1001 UAH).
Patients on inpatient care were prescribed 6 medications in an average. Only 17% of those who were prescribed medications in the hospital, got at least a part of them for free; 83% of respondents had intended to buy all the medications themselves. The average size of the total cost of medications (bought in the hospital or at the pharmacy) in the case of hospitalization amounted to 2892 UAH.
To the question “Whom the functioning of medical facilities improving is largely dependent on?” Respondents answered as follows (multiple answers):
President 37%
Prime Minister of 38%
Minister of Health of 74%
Head of the Regional Administration (Governor) 10%
The mayor of your town or the head of the village 15%
Chairman of the district administration to 8%
Chief physician (head) of a medical institution 47%
Doctors 18%
“Assessment and citizen’s experience (potential or actual health care consumer) is a key to reforming the system that focuses on people’s needs. Researches will be continued in the coming years and will measure the dynamic improvement of health services in the region and in Ukraine in general. Thus we can see the people’s estimates change in each area, depending on how reforms are implemented”, said Victoria Tymoshevska, Public Health Program Initiative Director at the International Renaissance Foundation.
Oksana Sivak, Deputy Acting Minister of Health of Ukraine: “The most valuable index data will be in dynamics – after we’ll have got the next year results. The difference in results in regions will show us the consequences of management decisions of regional leaders in the health field.”
“Health Index. Ukraine” is a tool that helps health care managers and those who make policy at the national level and in the regions, districts, cities to assess the reform’s impact on patients and the community. On the other hand, civil society organizations and active citizens receive arguments in a dialogue with the authorities for better changes.
“Health Index. Ukraine”
Research methodology
Ukrainians’ health condition and their satisfaction with provided medical services research was held by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology in cooperation with the Social Indicators Foundation by the support of the International Renaissance Foundation from August 2015 to August 2016. Field research phase lasted from May 16 to June 30, 2016.
The sample designed for the research is random and representative of the adult population (18 years and older) of Ukraine as a whole and each of the 24 regions of Ukraine and Kyiv. In the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, research covered only the territories controlled by the Government of Ukraine. As a result of the field phase 10,224 questionnaires were collected, and at least 400 respondents in each region were interviewed. The questionnaire was agreed with the International scientific council established for the project and questionnaire pretest was held by interviewing 24 respondents in Kyiv and several towns and villages of Kyiv region from March 31 to April 5, 2016.
