Can mHealth improve timeliness and quality of health data collected and used by health extension workers in rural Southern Ethiopia?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Health extension workers (HEWs) are the key cadre within the Ethiopian Health Extension Programme extending health care to rural communities. National policy guidance supports the use of mHealth to improve data quality and use. We report on a mobile Health Management Information system (HMIS) with HEWs and assess its impact on data use, community health service provision and HEWs' experiences.

Methodology

We used a mixed methods approach, including an iterative process of intervention development for 2 out of 16 essential packages of health services, quantitative analysis of new registrations, and qualitative research with HEWs and their supervisors.

Results

The iterative approach supported ownership of the intervention by health staff, and 8833 clients wer

SUBMITTER: Mengesha W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6294041 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature