Local HIV/AIDS NGOs and Client Satisfaction: Dimensions and Explanatory Factors through a Multilevel Regression Analysis

Background: HIV/AIDS Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Benin can use evaluations (including client satisfaction surveys) as tools to improve the effectiveness of their interventions. Objective: It is to identify the dimensions of NGO clients’ satisfaction and their associated factors. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 2413 clients receiving both preventive and curative services from 31 NGOs working in HIV/AIDS prevention-screening and providing care to persons living with HIV. Results: We identified four dimensions of satisfaction relevant to our setting: reception and humane attitude, accessibility of care and resources, staff availability and competence and continuity of care. Individual factors [(age positively and gender (men negatively)] statistically significantly influenced global satisfaction and three of its four dimensions but the strength of these associations was too weak. Concerning organizational factors, involvement in evaluation had a negative effect on reception and humane attitude. A local source as principal source of funding was associated with greater satisfaction with accessibility of care and resources, while foreign partners as the principal source of funding were associated with greater satisfaction in terms of both global satisfaction and its dimensions, except for continuity of care. Organizational factors explain from 12.5% to 15.6% of the variance of global satisfaction and its dimensions (except for continuity of care). Conclusion: These information on the global satisfaction and its dimensions as well as the influencing factors are important for NGOs and their partners as these can help them to plan and implement actions to improve performance.