Data Quality Assessment to Improve Tuberculosis Reduction Program Performance in Coast Region, Tanzania
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Date
2020-12-31
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Population Studies and Research Centre University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
Data quality assessment is central in improving program performance. Reducing TB
pandemic transmission is challenging in the global south. The success of interventions
to address the pandemic depends upon the availability of sound and reliable data.
This study applied a mixed research design to investigate the influence of data quality
assessment on the performance of TB reduction program. We interviewed staff of
several facilities composed of Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) nurse in-charge,
and TB coordinators, among others. We reviewed various TB-related documents and
used key informant interviews and observation to collect data from selected health
facilities. The findings indicated that the performance of the programs can be
determined if the data reported meets the five data quality standards, and present
accurately what is done at the facility level. Facilities with accurate, reliable and timely
data enable the reduction of TB cases through informing adequate treatment to avoid
spreading infection to the wider population unlike those with unreliable data. In this
study, most of the health facilities data under-reported the number of TB cases, thus
leading to poor program performance. We argue that, to improve program
performance, data provided from different facilities should meet the five quality
standards. The study recommends regular training of DOT nurses and improvement
of monitoring and evaluation systems.
Description
Data Quality Assessment aimed at improving programs performance and tackling factors affecting data quality in Tuberculosis (TB) reduction programs. Health facilities with limited
resources perform poorly with inadequate or misleading information and are
unlikely to reduce cases of TB infections.
Keywords
data quality, assessment, performance, tuberculosis reduction
Citation
Mwaipopo, Q., & Lema, G. (2020). Data Quality Assessment to Improve Tuberculosis Reduction Program Performance in Coast Region, Tanzania. Tanzania Journal for Population Studies and Development, 27(2), 21-38. Retrieved from https://tjpsd.udsm.ac.tz/index.php/tjpsd/article/view/109