Electronic Medical Record System Use and Determinants in Ethiopia: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The strategic plan of the Ethiopian Ministry of Health recommends an electronic medical record (EMR) system to enhance health care delivery and streamline data systems. However, only a few exhaustive systematic reviews and meta-analyses have been conducted on the degree of EMR use in Ethiopia and the factors influencing success. This will emphasize the factors that make EMR effective and increase awareness of its widespread use among future implementers in Ethiopia. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine the pooled estimate of EMR use and success determinants among health professionals in Ethiopia. METHODS: We developed a protocol and searched PubMed, Web of Sciences, African Journals OnLine, Embase, MEDLINE, and Scopus to identify relevant studies. To assess the quality of each included study, we used the Joanna Briggs Institute quality assessment tool using 9 criteria. The applicable data were extracted using Microsoft Excel 2019, and the data were then analyzed using Stata software (version 11; StataCorp). The presence of total heterogeneity across included studies was calculated using the index of heterogeneity I2 statistics. The pooled size of EMR use was estimated using a random effect model with a 95% CI. RESULTS: After reviewing 11,026 research papers, 5 papers with a combined total of 2439 health workers were included in the evaluation and meta-analysis. The pooled estimate of EMR usage in Ethiopia was 51.85% (95% CI 37.14%-66.55%). The subgroup study found that the northern Ethiopian region had the greatest EMR utilization rate (58.75%) and that higher (54.99%) utilization was also seen in publications published after 2016. Age groups <30 years, access to an EMR manual, EMR-related training, and managerial support were identified factors associated with EMR use among health workers. CONCLUSIONS: The use of EMR systems in Ethiopia is relatively low. Belonging to a young age group, accessing an EMR manual, receiving EMR-related training, and managerial support were identified as factors associated with EMR use among health workers. As a result, to increase the use of EMRs by health care providers, it is essential to provide management support and an EMR training program and make the EMR manual accessible to health professionals.

Effect of COVID-19 pandemic on missed medical appointment among adults with chronic disease conditions in Northwest Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 had affected the health-care-seeking behavior of people with chronic medical conditions. The impact is even worse in resource-limited settings like Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess the extent and correlates of missed appointments among adults with chronic disease conditions before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS: A retrospective chart review and cross-sectional survey were conducted from December 2020 to February 2021. A total of 1833 patients with common chronic disease were included by using a stratified systematic random sampling technique. Web-based data collection was done using Kobo collect. The data were explored using descriptive statistical techniques, the rate of missed appointments s before and during the COVID-19 pandemic was determined. A negative binomial regression model was fitted to identify the factors of missed appointment. An incidence rate ratio with its 95% confidence interval (CI) and p-value of the final model were reported. RESULTS: The rate of missed appointments was 12.5% (95% CI: 11.13%, 14.20%) before the pandemic, increased to 26.8% (95% CI: 24.73%, 28.82%) during the pandemic (p-value < 0.001). Fear of COVID-19 infection and lack of transport was the most common reasons for missing appointments. Older patients (Adjusted Incidence Rate Ratio (AIRR) = 1.01, 95% CI: 1.001; 1.015), having treatment follow up more than 5 years (AIRR = 1.36, 95%CI: 1.103; 1.69), shorter frequency of follow-up (AIRR = 2.22, 95% CI: 1.63; 2.49), covering expense out of pocket (AIRR = 2.26, 95%CI: 1.41; 2.95), having a sedentary lifestyle (AIRR = 1.36, 95%CI: 1.12; 1.71), and history of missed appointments before COVID-19 pandemic (AIRR = 4.27, 95%CI: 3.35; 5.43) were positively associated with the incidence of missed appointments. CONCLUSION: The rate of missed appointment increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Older age, longer duration of follow up, more frequent follow-up, out-of-pocket expenditure for health service, history of poor follow-up, and sedentary lifestyle had positive relationship with missed appointments during the pandemic. Therefore, it is important to give special emphasis to individuals with these risk factors while designing and implementing policies and strategies for peoples with chronic diseases to ensure the continuity of care and to avoid the long-term impact on their health.

Health Professionals' Attitude Toward the Use of Social Media for COVID-19 Related Information in Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Social media platform is one way to share online information regarding pandemic prevention. However, there is no study regarding the attitude of health professionals toward social media use for the COVID-19-related information. This study aimed to assess health professionals' attitudes toward using social media for COVID-19-related information. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 355 health professionals in Bahir Dar city public health centers, Northwest Ethiopia. A pretested self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. The data were entered by EPI-data version 4.6 and analyzed using SPSS version 23 software. Descriptive statistics, bivariable, and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to describe respondents' attitudes toward using social media for COVID-19 information and identify associated factors. An adjusted odds ratio (OR) and a p-value with a 95% CI were calculated to measure the strength of the association and assess statistical significance. Result: Out of 341 participants, about 73% of the participants had a good attitude toward the use of social media for COVID-19 information. Age < 24 [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.74, 95% CI: (1.53-9.13)] and age group 25-34 years [AOR = 2.25, 95% CI: (1.04-4.86)], computer training [AOR = 2.03, 95% CI: (1.03-4.00)], usefulness of social media [AOR = 3.25, 95% CI: (1.58-6.67)], and trustworthiness [AOR = 3.57, 95% CI: (1.93-6.60)] were enabling factors for attitude toward the use of social media for COVID-19 related information. Conclusion: Health professionals had a moderate attitude toward using social media for accessing COVID-19-related information. This implies that after considering positive attitude predictors, such as providing basic computer training, emphasizing the usefulness of social media, and building trusted social media pages, social media platforms can be used as a source of COVID-19-related information for health professionals.

Use of social media for COVID-19-related information and associated factors among health professionals in Northwest Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Social media has become an alternative platform for communication during medical crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess social media usage for COVID-19-related information among health professionals. Method: A quantitative cross-sectional study design was conducted among 370 health professionals. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 software. Data were collected using a semi-structured, self-administered, and pre-tested questionnaire. Descriptive and binary logistic regression analysis techniques were used to describe respondents' social media usage for COVID-19 information and identify its associated factors. Results: About 54% (95% CI: 48-58%) of the participants had good social media usage for COVID-19-related information. Age≤30 (AOR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.14-3.58), Wi-Fi/broadband Internet access (AOR = 2.45, 95% CI: 1.38-4.33), taking computer training (AOR = 2.58, 95% CI: 1.37-4.85), basic computer skill (AOR = 3.28, 95% CI: 1.71-6.29), and usefulness of social media (AOR = 3.56, 95% CI: 1.57-8.04) were found to be the significant factors associated with usage of social media for COVID-19-related information. Conclusion: The present study confirms that more than half of health professionals had good social media usage for COVID-19-related information. This shows that social media platforms can be used as a source of COVID-19-related information for health professionals if basic computer training is offered, internet connection is available in the workplace, and the usefulness of social media is emphasized.

Awareness and readiness to use telemonitoring to support diabetes care among care providers at teaching hospitals in Ethiopia: an institution-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: This survey aimed to assess the awareness and readiness of healthcare providers to use telemonitoring (TM) technologies for managing diabetes patients as well as to identify associated factors in Ethiopia. DESIGN: An institution-based cross-sectional quantitative survey was conducted by using a pretested self-administered questionnaire from February to March 2020. Data analysis used a binary logistic regression and partial proportional odds model for factor identification. PARTICIPANTS: Randomly selected 423 study physicians and nurses. SETTING: This study was conducted at the University of Gondar and Tibebe Ghion specialised teaching referral hospitals. OUTCOME MEASURES: Awareness and readiness towards TM in diabetes care. RESULT: Out of 406 healthcare providers (69.7%, n=283 nurses and 30.3%, n=123 physicians) who completed the survey, 345 (38.7%) heard about TM, when it came to readiness, 321 (25.1%) and 121 (65.5%) of respondents had average and low readiness towards TM, respectively. The result of regression analysis shows that awareness towards TM was higher among respondents who had access to a computer (adjusted OR (AOR): 2.8 (95% CI 1.1 to 7.1)), computer-related training (AOR: 4.6 (95% CI 1.63 to 12.95)) and those who had the experience of supporting patients through digital tools (AOR: 1.7 (95% CI 1.0 to 2.8)). Self-perceived innovators and those who had access to a computer, computer-related training and favourable attitude towards TM had significantly higher readiness to use TM. CONCLUSION: The findings of this survey revealed low awareness and readiness of participant's towards TM. However, this study suggests the need of improving participant's attitudes, access to smartphones and computers and technical skills to fill this gap.