A socio-technical approach to understanding data quality in health information systems: Data quality intervention in Kenya

Abstract

Health information systems in developing countries have shown great improvements in terms of being able to collect data from health facilities. While this is commendable, there is an urgent need to move from data collection towards data use for evidence based decision making. Data quality has been identified as a major impediment towards data use. We carried out a data quality intervention study in Kenya using action research approach. The objective of the study was to implement mutually agreed activities that would eventually be institutionalized in the country based on the actor network theory analytical lens. This paper gives the initial results of the first part of action research, where the stakeholders identified data quality audits, monthly data review meetings and training in data management as the main activities for implementation. Once implemented, it is hoped that the results will be useful in countries with similar settings.