Needs Assessment for an Information System to Support a TB Control Program in Indonesia

Tuberculosis (TB) is still a burden in Indonesia, including in Sukoharjo Regency. The wide gap between the estimated TB cases and those found, and the number of fluctuating cases since 2013 are problems for the Sukoharjo Health Office. Various programs have been created and carried out but Sukoharjo is still ranked low in TB case identification. The aim of this study was to map the information requirements to support the the identification of TB cases by the district health office. This research was a needs assessment, based on the system development life cycle (SDLC) approach. Qualitative data were obtained from in-depth interviews, including with the head of the TB program in the Puskesmas public health center, a TB program supervisor, a head of communicable disease control, a head of disease control, and a head of health systems in Sukoharjo, Central Java, Indonesia. Several programs were identified such as knock-on programs, screening of cross-sectorial TB suspects including Aisyiah TB-HIV care, and strengthening of PISPK (Healthy Indonesia Program With a Family Approach). Strengthening of TB health volunteers was still being carried out, but the achievement of TB screening was still low. Informants were still looking for ways to improve screening for suspected TB. The health agency had not yet developed a decision support system that could be used to help plan TB screening programs, but the health office wanted one to be developed. An information system is needed to help make evidence-based programs to find TB cases. Keywords: needs assessment, system, TB control, Indonesi