Methods: Data were collected from private hospitals in Klang Valley. A total of 379 responses from patients were analysed using the structural equation modelling approach.
Results: The findings revealed that administrative behaviour, nurse's services and Shariah amenities have a highly significant impact on satisfaction. The healthcare technicality, hospital environment and physician's services have a significant relationship with patient satisfaction. Patient satisfaction has a significant impact on patient loyalty to healthcare services at the hospital. Administrative behaviour, physicians' services and healthcare technicality have a direct and positive relationship with loyalty intention, while Shariah amenity has a negative significant relationship with loyalty.
Conclusion: The results have important implications for product development and managerial considerations in hospitals. Service providers need to be mindful that all aspects, including Shariah amenities and generic healthcare service delivery, are important and need to be balanced and delivered satisfactorily to ensure customer satisfaction.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jordan from March 9 to March 16, 2021, utilizing a web-based structured questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised 13 items on sociodemographic, health, and smoking profiles, 14 items to assess beliefs surrounding COVID-19 and the use of combustible cigarettes (CCs), waterpipe (WP), and electronic cigarettes (ECs), and 12 items to assess the pandemic impact on smoking behavior and quit intention.
RESULTS: Of 2424 survey respondents who participated in our study, there were 1163 never-smokers, 1044 current smokers, and 217 ex-smokers. The mean age of participants was 35.2 years (SD: 11.06). Most participants have reported anti-smoking beliefs with around 72.9% believed that WP smoking is related to the risk of contracting COVID-19. Also, 71.7% believed that smoking CC may worsen the COVID-19 clinical course, while 74.1% of respondents believed that smoking has no protective effect against COVID-19. During the pandemic, about 28.1% and 19.3% of current smokers reported increased or reduced smoking, respectively. Besides, 459 current smokers have expressed their plans/intention to quit smoking during the pandemic, of whom 27.5% (n = 126) confirmed that the driving force for their decision is a COVID-19-related reason, such as self-protection (n = 123) and protection of family members (n = 121) which were the most cited reasons. Also, around 63 participants have successfully ceased smoking during the pandemic. However, only 22 of them reported that the main driving motivation of their successful quit attempt was the COVID-19 pandemic.
CONCLUSION: Most participants' beliefs and attitudes were against smoking during the pandemic. Nevertheless, the double-edged effect of the pandemic on smoking habits should be carefully considered, and reliable anti-smoking measures should be strengthened and sustained in the country.