Data utilization and analytical skills among mid-level health programme managers in a developing country

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Management
• Health Information Systems

Background:

• Health information systems (HIS) are vital for effective healthcare delivery.
• Developing countries often face challenges in utilizing HIS data.
• Mid-level health managers are key users of HIS data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the data analysis and utilization capabilities of mid-level health managers in a developing country.
• To identify barriers to effective data use within the health sector.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was employed, including self-administered questionnaires and in-depth interviews.
• 168 mid-level health managers completed questionnaires assessing data analysis skills.
• 25 programme managers were interviewed for detailed insights into data use and program performance awareness.

Main Results:

• A significant proportion of managers demonstrated limited ability in calculating cost-effectiveness ratios (52%), proportions (27%), and constructing cumulative graphs (43%).
• Data analysis skills were not correlated with managers' age or training levels.
• Many programme managers lacked awareness of their program's performance and district-level outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Essential training in data analysis and interpretation is required for health managers to leverage HIS effectively.
• Health data must be simplified and presented accessibly for programme managers.
• Further research into managers' data perception and usage is needed.
• Data utilization strategies should be integrated into HIS implementation, not added post-hoc.