Patients' waiting time at an outpatient clinic in Nigeria--can it be put to better use?

This study examined the usual activities of patients and the activities patients would favor during waiting time at the General Outpatients' (GOP) Clinic, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Nigeria. The potential of utilizing the waiting time for health education was also explored. A sample of 315 subjects selected using the systematic random sampling approach of one in five subjects attending the clinic over a period of 3 months were interviewed. The three most common activities patients engaged in during waiting time were watching of happenings in the clinic, reading and chatting. However, the most desired activity during waiting period was health education on specific diseases, which is to be presented as health talk by health personnel. The provision of health education on specific health issues constitutes an acceptable and useful way of utilizing waiting time in the outpatient clinic. This may further improve the health education services provided at such a clinic.