Evaluation of Health Management Information System Data Quality in Selected Public Health Facilities of Four Zones of Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Health management information system is the primary source of information for continuous monitoring of the health service. As it uses routine facility-based collection of data on health it has the potential to show more current information about the health situation of the population. But existing evidence suggests that there is variable and often poor quality of this data in developing countries. In Ethiopia, Information quality and use remain weak within the health sector, particularly at the peripheral levels of woreda and facility. Objective: To assess health management information system data quality and factors that determines quality of data in public health facilities of Oromia. Methods: Facility-based cross sectional study was conducted on 53 health and health administrative facilities which are selected purposefully. Data quality assessed using completeness, timeliness and accuracy dimensions. Seven indicators selected purposefully to assess data accuracy, and monthly reports used to assess completeness and timeliness of reports. Data was collected by two MSc students and four MPH holders with supervision after tools pretested. Two day training was given for the data collectors and supervisors. Finally the data was analyzed using SPSS version 20 through descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression used to determine the factors associated with accuracy. Result: The overall data quality based on the evaluation judgment matrix was 81%. In average data accuracy was 57.2% which is lower than the national target for data accuracy. From indicators low accuracy was observed on Family planning (35.6%), Antinatal care four visit (40.4%) and growth monitoring (39.8%). Over reporting was higher (32.2%) than under reporting (10.6%) in all facilities. From facilities low level of data accuracy observed at HP (40.3%). Completeness and Report timeliness were 94.9% and 85% respectively and this attains the national target for completeness and timeliness. Using M&E database (AOR=2.2, 95% CI [1.4, 3.5]) has shown a positive relationship with data accuracy. Level of priority of indicators (AOR=0.5, 95% CI [0.4, 0.9]) and supportive supervision (AOR=0.6, 95% CI [0.4, 0.9]) observed to be negatively associated with data accuracy. Conclusion and recommendation: This study found that the overall data accuracy was lower than the minimum amount required for data accuracy. Completeness dimension of data quality are more than adequate at all level of the facilities and timeliness dimension attains the target for report timeliness. Recommendation based on the finding includes: standard registers should be distributed for health posts, procedure manual and M&E database should also be distributed for those who are not using, for researchers further investigate the negative relationship between accuracy and supportive supervision.