Tuberculosis data management, knowledge and associated factors in public-private mix dots implementing health facilities in Bahir dar city, North west Ethiopia

Background: Tuberculosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Ethiopia. Despite massive investments in health management information system, poor data coverage of these systems has led to gross under-use as an evidence base for decision-making at the national level. It is also true across all program areas; community program and health care delivery personnel often face competing demands that make the collection and recording of daily service delivery data a challenge.

Objectives: The main objective of this study was to assess the data quality of recording, reporting, and associated factors of knowledge in public-private mix directly observed short course treatment implementing health institutions.

Methods: Facility based cross-sectional study was used to assess the data quality in 4 public and 7 private health institutions in Bahir Dar city from February to August, 2015. A total of 195 health workers were included in the study. Information such as, age, sex, occupation, types of health institution were collected using pre-tested self-administered structured questionnaire and prepared formats. Data were entered in EP Info version 3.5.1, and analyzed using statistical package SPSS version 16.0. Different proportions were computed and logistic regression methods were used to see the association. P-value less than or equal to 0.05 at 95% confidence interval was considered as statistically significant, and corresponding adjusted Odds ratio were used for interpretation of the association variables.

Results: Working in Hospital (p-value < 0.001) and Training on TB (p-value < 0.001) do have a positive effect in improving the knowledge status of data quality of recording and reporting. Out of the study subjects, 72.7% were filled completely and 45.5% were filled accurately according to essential data elements on TB. Private health institutions were better in recording and accounted 62.5% and 80% completeness and accuracy, respectively. Additionally, this particular research also found that 88.6% of the reports were brought to the city health department. Among these, only 47.8%, 22.7% and 6.8% were completely, timely and accurately compiled.

Conclusion: The TB data quality on recording and reporting in Bahir Dar City Administration was seriously deprived. Its quality lacks completeness, accuracy, and timeliness. Therefore, training should be a priority action to alleviate this issue.