Routine use of DHIS2 data: a scoping review.

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Public Health Data Management
• Information Systems Research

Background:

• Effective health service planning relies on data utilization across all system levels.
• Despite widespread adoption of platforms like DHIS2, actual data use for decision-making remains a challenge.
• A lack of rigorous review exists on how DHIS2 data are routinely used for health programming.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of the literature on the routine use of DHIS2 data for decision-making and programming.
• To identify gaps in the documentation and understanding of DHIS2 data utilization.

Main Methods:

• A five-stage scoping review approach (Arksey & O'Malley, Levac et al., Peters) was employed.
• Searches were conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase, supplemented by conference proceedings and theses.
• Over 500 documents were screened, with data extracted from 19 relevant sources.

Main Results:

• DHIS2 data are being utilized, but detailed descriptions in published literature are limited.
• Common patterns of centralized versus decentralized data access and reporting were observed.
• Explicit conceptualizations of data use and its underlying principles are often not detailed.

Conclusions:

• There is a need for more detailed documentation and sharing of how DHIS2 data are used.
• Further investigation into data creation processes and user identification is recommended.
• Future system design should align with work practices and foster data-centric discussions.