Determinants of routine health information utilization at primary healthcare facilities in Western Amhara, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Evidence based practice is a key tool to increase effectiveness and efficiency of healthcare providers worldwide. Even if using health facility data at all levels is vital, it is poorly practiced in developing countries. This study was aimed at assessing routine health information utilization and its determinants among health centres in East Gojjam Zone, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: An institution based cross-sectional study was conducted from May to June 2016 among 250 health centre and department/unit heads. Data collected using a pretested self-administered questionnaire and an observation checklist were analysed by SPSS version 20. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify determinant factors. Results: The majority (80%) of the respondents were males, and 54% of them were in the ≤30 years age group. Of all 250 study participants, only 96 (38.4%) routinely used facility health information for two or more purposes in addition to reporting duties; 50 (52%) to develop plan, 23 (24%) for feedback, 17 (18%) for patient management, and 6 (6%) to conduct research. Residence, data management knowledge, work load, computer skill, computer access, supportive supervision, HMIS training, and availability of HMIS guideline and formats were important factors affecting health information utilization. Conclusions: In this study, the overall health information utilization of health centres was low compared to previous studies. Personal factors (skills, knowledge, workload, residence), and organizational (access to raining, computer, HMIS formats, guidelines, supervision) were determinants of health information utilization. Improving computer access, data management inputs, training and supportive supervision are crucial to solve the problem.

Keywords:

• health information use
• determinants
• health centres
• East Gojjam
• Ethiopia

Public Interest Statement

“Routine health information”, information gathered from each health facility, is an important asset of healthcare facilities. Poor routine health information utilization at facility level, which greatly decreases effectiveness, efficiency and service quality, becomes a key challenge to the world, mainly to developing countries. This article describes the level of routine health information utilization and its determinants at the health centers based on data gathered through interview of heads of health centers and respective departments. The health information use for managing patients and managerial issues was poor (38.4%) due to residence, technical, workload and organizational related factors. Obviously, this has a profound effect on service quality, customers’ satisfaction, health facilities’ performance and profitability, increasing morbidity, disability, and death, which also affects stability and economic activities of a country. Knowing the utilization level and its determinants can help the government and health facilities to plan evidence based interventions to solve the problem.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interest.

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the Amhara Regional Health Bureau for giving the ethical clearance and East Gojjam Zone for giving a supporting letter. I would also like to thank study participants, data collectors and supervisors for their interesting support during data collection.

Authors’ contributions

The author did all research activities with the consultation of senior researchers.

Availability of data

Data cannot be made available to the public or individuals since we took consent from respondents not to share this data to others.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Amhara Regional Health Bureau Research ethics review committee ethically approved the study protocols. All participants provided their informed consent before participating in the study. Participation was voluntary based.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mulusew Andualem Asemahagn

Mulusew Andualem Asemahagn, instructor at Bahir Dar University College of medicine and health s sciences. My major tasks as higher education staffs are lecturing, conducting research and community services. Health information system, data management practices, evidence based practice, ICTs in health (mobile health, eHMIS, GIS, GPS, tele medicine, electronic medical recording systems …), healthcare service quality, TB, HIV/AIDS, malaria, intestinal parasitic diseases, human nutrition, traditional practices among women and children, and non-communicable diseases are my research areas on which I conducted more than 30 research works. I have more than 18 published works on electronic medical record, TB, child nutrition, information need, intestinal parasites, female genital mutilation, hypertension, eHMIS, and data management practices, willingness of text message reminders on TB and HIV patients. The current research work is one of my major research areas mentioned above and one of the current priority area of the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health.