Abstract:
Background: Accurate, timely and complete health care data play a vital role in the planning, development and maintenance of health services. Quality improvement and the timely dissemination of quality data are essential if the health care authorities wish to maintain health care at an optimal level. In Ethiopia data quality remain poor, particularly at WorHO and primary health care facilities, which have primary responsibility for operational management.
Objective: A data quality assessment for maternal and child health (MCH) in Silte Zone, SNNPR.
Methods: A facility based cross sectional study design was used to assess quality for MCH data
in Silte Zone, SNNPR. Sample size was 34 health centers and the study was conducted from July to December 2018. Data was collected using pre-tested and structured questionnaire. The data
was entered into Epi info version 7 and transferred to SPSS version 20 for analysis.
Results: The quality of data which means results with acceptable ranges from selected MCH indicators were OPTIONB+ 100% followed by Skilled birth attendant 91%. The other indicators were out of the acceptable range, which means less than 90% or higher than 110% were pentavalent three 68%; Measles containing vaccine first dose 59%; early PNC 56% and ANC4 53% and an average acceptable accuracy level 71%. MCH data element content completeness is 98% and 53% of Health Centers reported their monthly HMIS/MCH timely based on national due date for woreda health office, the overall data quality dimension is 74%. Over all technical, organizational and dimension of data quality is 61.8%, 83.7% and 74% respectively. Therefore, the level of MCH data quality is 73 %. On this study having minute during performance discussion, AOR=24.3, 95%CI (1.37, 430.9) and having supportive supervision from WorHO on HMIS, AOR=23.9, 95%CI (1.18, 483.9) were independently significant association with low data quality.
Conclusion: The level of data quality was below the national standard in all health facilities which is below 90%. The factors which affect data quality were lack of keeping minute during PMT review of performance and lack of supportive supervision from woreda health office. Recommendations: To improve the data quality at the health center level HCs PMT should keep minutes during performance monitoring and Woreda Health office Managers should do supportive supervision to HC on HMIS.
Keywords: Data quality, Quality assessment of MCH data, Silte Zone, Ethiopia.
......................................... Thesis available at ACIPH Library