Factors Influencing Utilization of Health Information Data in Nairobi County Public Health Facilities, Kenya

Abstract

Effective management of today's health systems depends on the critical use of data and information for policy formulation, planning, service monitoring, and decision-making. However, data use has been restricted and inadequate; resulting in vital health decisions frequently being based on political opportunism, donor demand, and infrequently repeated national studies that are insensitive to changes occurring over a shorter timescale. This study's objective was to investigate the factors that influence the utilization of Health information data. Specifically, assess the influence of data quality, establish the extent to which individual factors determines utilization of health information data, establish the level of staff involvement influences the utilization of health information data and identify organizational factors that influences the utilization of health information data in Nairobi County Public Health Facilities. A descriptive cross-sectional study employing quantitative methodology was conducted with at least 216 participants. Using a multistage sampling technique, the sample size of respondents was determined. Three public health facilities were sampled with proportional representation of respondents in each facility. Using SPSS version 25, quantitative data from structured questionnaires was entered, verified, cleaned, and analyzed. In the event of a relationship between categorical variables, the Chi-square test was applied. The majority of respondents were between the ages of 30 and 39, they were female, and were

nurses. Majority also held a diploma as their highest level of education. Less than two- thirds of respondents (65.3%) used routine data for decision making on occasion.

Additionally, (19.9%) and (14.8%) use routine data/health information for decision making infrequently and frequently, respectively. Level of education (p=0.025), gender of the health worker (p=0.010), cadre (p=0.001), participation in data discussion forums (p=0.013), training on data utilization (p=0.036), data collection (p=0.041), data analysis (p=0.032), data management (p=0.007), overall levels of competency (p=0.0001), access to routine data (p=0.001), access to a functional computer (p=0.023), and internet access (p=0.030). The researcher hopes that the study's findings will serve as a wake-up call for the management of public health facilities regarding the value of health information data in informing every decision made in the health facilities. The study recommends that County health management, in conjunction with the national level, provide training to improve health workers' skills, with a focus on routine data use, through on-the-job trainings and mentoring. It also recommended that the organizational context be improved by providing resources that support the use of information.