Qualitative study of health information needs, flow, and use in Senegal

Many health professionals and policymakers in Africa lack access to the information needed to make evidence-based decisions for effective health care. This study collected qualitative data from 75 key informants and members of two focus groups in Senegal on various aspects of health information needs, particularly in family planning and reproductive health, including information sources, strategies, and systems to transfer and share information; and barriers to accessing, sharing, and using health information. Respondents reported needing information on ways to motivate men's involvement in reproductive health and to address rumors and religious barriers to family planning. Results identified mobile phones as one scalable platform to improve health knowledge. Nevertheless, a nearly universal and persistent need for paper-based information exists, and many health personnel prefer interpersonal communication as a method for information sharing, knowledge synthesis, and learning. Hierarchy and social organization play a crucial role in the flow of communication and in knowledge exchange. The study also identified the importance of political support for a comprehensive knowledge management strategy for the health sector, including the need for strategies to empower and better support the knowledge role of health coordinators and supervisors.