Archive | 2021
Routine Use of DHIS2 Data: A Scoping Review
Abstract
\n BACKGROUND:In terms of health service planning and delivery the use of information at different levels in the health system is vital, from influencing policy, to program action, and to evidence informed practices. However, having good data or access to good data does not necessarily imply data use. For information to be used relevant data needs to be collected, processed and analysed in an accessible format. The problem of little or no data use is widespread and has been evident for decades.The DHIS2 software platform supports routine health management for an estimated 2.4 billion people and is used in over 70 countries. DHIS2 is by far the largest and most widespread software for this purpose and adopts a holistic socio-technical approach to development and implementation. With this approach and the rapid and extensive scaling of DHIS2 we questioned whether this has been matched with the increased scaling of improved information use. To date there has been no rigorous review of the documentation on how DHIS2 data is routinely being used for action and decision-making. This scoping review addresses this gap. METHODS:The five stage approach of Arksey and O’Malley and progressed by Levac et al., was followed. Three databases (PubMed, Web of Science and Embase) were searched, along with relevant conferences and postgraduate thesis. In total approx. 300 documents were reviewed with 18 documents being fully reviewed. RESULTS:Overall DHIS2 data is being used but there are few detailed descriptions of this in peer reviewed or grey literature. We find that there is commonly a centralised versus decentralised pattern of use in terms of access to data and reporting data up in the system, and that the different conceptualisations of data use and how data use is conceptualised is not made explicit. CONCLUSIONS:We conclude with some suggestions on the way forward, namely: the need to document in more detail and share how data is being used, investigating how data was created and who uses the data, designing systems based on work practices and exploring and promoting forums in which we can have ‘conversations’ around data.