| dc.description.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. | en_US |
