Utilization of Community Health Information System and Associated Factors in Health Posts of Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Background: the regular use of reliable health information from a well-designed routine health information system is indispensable for ensuring and sustaining improvements in health system performance. However, In Ethiopia the prevailing practice in terms of effectively utilizing health information is not satisfactory and utilization of health information at the local level is still a challenge. Objective: To determine utilization of Community Health information systems and associated factors in health posts of Hadiya zone, Ethiopia. Method: Facility based cross sectional study design was conducted in Health post of Hadiya zone, from February 1 to 15/2018 using both quantitative and qualitative approach. The calculated sample 420 Health Extension workers found in 210 Health posts was allocated to each district proportionally based on their number of health posts. Then, Health posts were selected by simple random sampling method from each District, and health extension workers found in the selected Health posts was part of the study. Quantitative data was collected using structured questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify significantly associated factors. For qualitative study, health extension workers who are not participated in quantitative study were selected purposively based on their work experience. Result: Overall, Good utilization of community health information was 41%. Monthly Supportive supervision (AOR=1.72; CI=1.02, 2.91), written feedback (AOR=5.33; CI = 3.27, 8.69) and Compiled and send additional parallel reports (AOR=4.41; CI =2.35-8.30) were factors significantly associated with utilization of community health information system. In qualitative study, the existing tools were difficult to use and understand because they prepared in English language, high burden of workload and no adequate work force at health post level were the main challenge in using CHIS. Conclusion and Recommendation: Utilization of health information at health post level was found to be far below the national expectation. It needs major improvement in frequency of supportive supervision, sending of written feedback and improving integrated reporting channel system. Keywords: Community health information systems, Health information, Ethiopia DOI: 10.7176/JMPB/63-03 Publication date: January 31st 2020