| dc.description.abstract | A health system requires a well-functioning health information system to enhance
measurement of health outcomes, and ensure effective health care decisions. This
process of utilizing health information, increases retention rate, improves patients‘
health outcome and reduces cost of care. With low retention rates among HIV positive
patients, this study aimed at determining the factors associated with the utilization of
health information in curbing missed appointments. The research study was guided by
the following specific objectives: to establish infrastructural factors influencing health
information utilization; to assess the influence of staff capacity on health information
utilization; to determine the influence of staff supervision on utilization of health
information; and to establish the existing behavioral factors that influence health
information use among CCC health care providers. This study utilized descriptive cross-
sectional study design using quantitative method of data collection to assess utilization
of health information among healthcare workers. The study population for this research
was approximately 215 CCC, a sample size of 69 health care workers in the three high
volume hospitals offering HIV care in Mombasa County that contributed to high
defaulter rate. Primary data was obtained via questionnaires while secondary data was
obtained from hospital records available, via checklist. The data was coded and analyzed
using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). A p-value of less than 0.05 was
considered as statistically significant, Asymptotic Significance (2-sided) results
indicated a p-value of .000 across all the four factors in relation to the Independent
variable on Chi-square test (Infrastructure X1=138.182, p value .001, Staff capacity
X1=168.368, p value .000, support supervision X1=145.811, p value .000 and
behavioral factors X1=202.570, p value .000). For Spearman Rank Correlation, a strong
positive correlation between supervisory factors and utilization of health information
(r=.811, 9=.000), an indication that staff supervision improved data utilization hence
reducing gaps that could lead to missed appointments, weak positive correlation between
Infrastructural factors and utilization of health information, (rs=.114, p=.384), an
indication that infrastructure was important mode in support of data capture and
generation of reports thus improving in utilization of data reducing missed
appointments. Moderate negative correlation between behavioral factors and utilization
of HMIS, (rs= -.505, p=.000) an indication that staff attitude did not interfere with
utilization of information therefore did not affect management of missed appointments.
The study concludes that effective support supervision for the CCC health care workers
in management of missed appointments would greatly improve data use and thus able to
identify where gaps are, hence reducing number of missed appointments among HIV
positive patients. Also the study concludes that effective quality targeted training of the
staff would improve in data collection and use therefore reducing number of missed
appointments among HIV positive patients. The study recommends establishment of
SOPs to guide support supervision and also emphasis on continual training among the
staff in the CCC. The institutions to also invest on reliable internet network for effective
health information systems. There is need for further research to be done to determine
other influencing factors in the service delivery of the 47 county governments. | en_US |
