Health Workers' Perceptions on Data-informed Decision-Makingpracticesin Primary Health Care Units at Awi Zone, Northwest Ethiopia

Background: Data-informed decision making is influenced by organizational, technical, and behavioral factors. Behavioral factors are the major contributing factors for data-informed decision-making practices. This study aimed to explore health workers' perceptions of data-informed decision making at primary health care units in Awi zone. Method: A cross-sectional qualitative study was undertaken to explore health workers' perceptions on the barriers of health data-informed decision-making practices. Eleven healthcare workers were purposively selected from primary hospitals, health centers and health posts. Medical doctors, nurses, midwifes and health extension workers were selected as key informants for the in-depth interview. The selected healthcare workers were asked about their perceptions that affect health data use practices. The data obtained was analyzed through thematic analysis using Open Code software. Analysis was performed using three themes namely, organizational, behavioral, and technical barriers of data-informed decision making. Results: All the health care workers including health extension workers utilized a data-informed decision-making practice at least once during their point of care. Five of the eleven key informants reported their data-informed decision-making practice as reviewing quality of facility data, while none of them reported data-informed decision-making practices for their monthly performance monitoring. Behavioral factors included negligence, workarounds, and skill gaps. Organizational factors included staff turnover and shortage of recording tools. Technical factors included high workloads which lead to data error and paper-based systems were considered major barriers to data-informed decision-making practices.

Health workers' perceptions on data-informed decision-making practices in primary health care units at Awi zone, northwest Ethiopia

Data-informed decision making is influenced by organizational, technical,and behavioral factors. Behavioral factors are the major contributing factorsfor data-informed decision-makingpractices. This study aimed to explorehealth workers'perceptionsofdata-informed decision making at primary health care units inAwi zone.Method:A cross-sectional qualitative study was undertaken to explore health workers'perceptionson the barriers of health data-informed decision-makingpractices. Eleven healthcare workers were purposively selected from primary hospitals, health centers and health posts. Medical doctors, nurses, midwifesand health extension workers were selected askey informantsfor the in-depth interview.The selected healthcare workers were asked about theirperceptionsthat affect health data usepractices.The data obtained was analyzedthroughthematic analysis using Open Codesoftware. Analysis was performed usingthree themes namely,organizational, behavioral,and technicalbarriers of data-informed decision making. Results:All the health care workers including health extension workers utilizedadata-informed decision-makingpractice atleast once duringtheirpoint of care. Five ofthe eleven key informants reported their data-informed decision-makingpractice asreviewingquality of facility data, while none of them reported data-informed decision-makingpracticesfor their monthly performancemonitoring. Behavioral factors includednegligence, workarounds,and skill gaps.Organizational factors includedstaff turnover and shortage of recording tools.Technical factors includedhigh workloads whichlead to data error and paper-based systemswere considered major barriers todata-informed decision-makingpractices.Conclusion:Data-informed decision-makingpracticeswerelow at primaryhealthcare units.Behavioral, organizational,and technical factors contributed to the decreased use of data.[Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2022; 36(2):000-000]Keywords:Data-informed decision making, Perception, Organizational, Behavioral, Technical, Ethiopia