UTILIZATION LEVEL OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNITY HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG HEALTH EXTENSION WORKERS IN SIDAMA REGION, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Background: Effective community health management information systems are important in low-resource countries that rely heavily on community-based health care providers. However, there is no evidence of the level of utilization of electronic community health information systems. The aim of this study is to assess the utilization of electronic community health information systems and associated factors among health extension workers in the Sidama region of Ethiopia in 2023. Methods: Concurrent mixed methods design was used: Quantitative cross-sectional studies and qualitative phenomenology designs among 402 health extension workers and 8 participants for qualitative study from April to June 2023. Multi-stage sampling techniques have been used. Data were extracted by interview methods using the Kobo toolbox and then exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Variables having P<0.25 in bivariate analysis were fitted for multivariable regression. Whereas, an explorative qualitative study was employed, involving key informant interviews and in-depth interviews with a purposefully chosen interviewee, and the data was analyzed using Atlas software. Result: The study revealed the overall utilization level of the community health information system in Sidama was 40.3% (95% CI: 35.5%, 45.3%). Supportive supervision from primary health care units (AOR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.28, 0.55), supportive supervision from Woreda Health Office (AOR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.29, 0.91), connectivity (AOR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.32, 0.94), receiving electronic community health information system guidelines (AOR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.27, 0.75), and perceived competency (AOR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.34, 0.86) were significant factors. The budget constraint, infrastructure, follow-up problem, technological problems, lack of commitment, and role confusion were challenges for the utilization of the system. Conclusion and Recommendation: More than half of the health extension workers had no electronic health information system utilization . Supervision from primary health care units , Supervision fromworeda health offices, connectivity, guidelines and perceived competency were responsible for the result. Therefore, Improving, boosting internet connectivity, supportive follow-up, training access for their competency and fulfilling the guidelines are important to scale up the utilization. This finding is supported by qualitative study.