Technological Factors Influencing the Quality of Data for the Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Program in Selected Health Facilities in Siaya County, Kenya

Abstract

The voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) program has been going on since 2008 with limited studies on the quality of data which is defined as data’s fitness to serve its intended purpose. The study sought to assess technological factors influencing the quality of VMMC program data in Siaya County in terms of data timeliness, accuracy, and completeness. Completeness is measured by describing whether a value for a given data element from a facility was available in the information system. Timeliness is measured by the date when data was submitted to the information system compared to the expected submission date. Accuracy is measured by recorded data in Kenya Health Information System (KHIS) with data collected from facility registers. Out of 224 health facilities sampled, 202 responded (90.1% response rate). Questionnaires and Records checklists were administered online to respondents, and Key informant interviews were done with the County team. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) analysed quantitative data using measures of central tendencies and measures of dispersion. Pearson chi-square determined associations at a 95% confidence interval and P-value >=0.05. Data Quality Index (DQI) was calculated by aggregating all scores for timelines, accuracy, and completeness. Good data scored 1=Yes across the three variables, and poor data scored a 0- No for either of the three. Using DQI, 29.7% had good data quality. The proportion of the respondents who agreed that staff are trained in Electronic Medical Records (EMR) System (64.2%) was significantly associated with good data quality than those who did not (χ2 =9.10, df=1, p-value=0.01). Key informants reported that staff are trained on VMMC indicators through on-job training (OJT). In conclusion, EMR ensures that all the data in the KHIS is used for planning and decision-making at County and National levels and recommends that health records officers are trained effectively to improve reporting