Patient-centred care: reality or rhetoric—patients’ experiences at ARV clinics located in public hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Table 2 Patients’ experiences with the services provided by the doctors/dieticians and counsellors n = 400

Option	Hospital 1	Hospital 2	Hospital 3	Hospital 4	n = 400	%
Doctor/dieticians
Are patients allowed to ask doctors questions and provide input regarding their illness/treatment?*
Yes	20	46	28	12	106	26.5
No	3	1	0	0	4	1.0
Some do	77	53	72	88	290	72.5
How many times have doctors/dieticians discussed patients’ diet at the ARV clinics?**
Once	35	26	31	25	117	29.3
Twice	18	11	6	6	41	10.3
Three times	1	2	0	4	7	1.8
Never	46	61	63	65	235	58.8
How often do patients see a doctor?*
Every month	0	0	0	3	3	0.8
Twice a year	100	54	26	10	190	47.5
Quarterly	0	46	72	87	205	51.3
On request to see one	0	0	2	0	2	0.5
Are there sufficient doctors at their ARV clinics?*
Yes	42	25	96	0	163	40.8
No	0	7	1	77	85	21.3
Sometimes	58	68	3	23	152	38.0
Do doctors explain to patients why their medication is being changed?
Yes	54	60	70	68	252	63.0
No	1	0	0	1	2	0.5
Medication unchanged	45	40	30	31	146	36.5
Are medication side effects explained to patients***
Yes	31	43	50	46	170	42.5
No	24	0	20	23	84	21.0
Medication unchanged	45	40	30	31	146	36.5
Do patients trust the counsellors to keep their information confidential?*
Yes	67	64	85	83	299	74.8
Do counsellors know enough about HIV and ART to counsel patients?*
Yes	40	54	38	26	158	39.5
No	10	8	1	4	23	5.8
Some do	50	38	61	70	219	54.8
Do counsellors discuss dating option and potential dating challenges?
No	100	100	100	100	400	100
Are patients comfortable to discuss sex and reproductive health with counsellors?
Yes	60	73	79	69	281	70.3

ISSN: 1742-6405