No abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) identified information as one of the six key pillars of an effective health system. In this context, the need to strengthen community health information has been felt globally. African countries have faced the greatest challenges in collecting, analyzing, evaluating and interpreting indicator data to guide evidence based policymaking. The generation of health information starts at the community level through the Community-Based health information system (CbHMIS) (Kaburu, Kaburi, & Okero, 2016). At the community level, this source of information is complete in coverage and in planning and action-oriented (Odhiambo-Otieno, 2005). High health threats characterized by low levels of life expectancy, deteriorating healthcare facilities, high disease incidences, high levels of infant mortality (73/1000) and maternal mortality (488/100,000) specifically on communicable diseases are currently facing Kenya (Flora, Margaret, & Dan, 2017). The importance of effective information use is still a key impediment to these problems, hence affecting greatly the health care service delivery at all levels, and the worst level in its information use is level 1-the community. In Kenya, According to a situation analysis on the state of Community Health Services in year 2014, the functionality of CbHIS was said to be at 64% which came down considerably to 55% in year 2015 documented by USAID, and that access to quality data was not guaranteed through the current CbHMIS. Some known and assumed barriers include: lack of proper processes, lack of physical access, lack of awareness of what is available; lack of relevance of available information (i.e. not meeting peoples' needs in terms of scope, style or format); lack of time and incentives to access information; and lack of interpretation skills (Flora et al., 2017). Processes forms an integral part of performance (Aqil et al., 2009). In Kenya, the Kenyan Health Information System has had several weaknesses which include weak linkages, data sharing, inadequate feedback, and lack of an operational CBHMIS manual, among others. The purpose of the study was to assess the influence of process interventions of the CHVs on CBHIS use in Kiambu, Kajiado

Background: National hospital insurance fund (NHIF) uses capitation as a strategic purchasing model to provide primary care health services (PCHS). This study sought information on citizen knowledge of PCHS benefit package, NHIF communication to citizens, determination of citizen views and values, NHIF accountability to citizens, citizen choice of PCHS provider and how these factors influence citizen access to NHIF, PCHS.Methods: This was a cross sectional research conducted between March 2017 to March 2018. 426 patients were sampled from Nyandarua and Nakuru Counties.Results: 366 (93%) patients knew the PCHS benefit package, 226 (57%) said NHIF communication to them was adequate, 280 (71%) said NHIF does not take into account their view and values, 272 (69%) said NHIF is not accountable to them, 269 (68%) knew how to select an outpatient facility, 111 (28%) said they did not receive NHIF, PCHS. Multivariate logistics regression analysis of citizen engagement factors and access to PCHS, indicate that NHIF communication to citizens (p<0.05, OR=2.358, 95% CI [1.399-3.975]), purchaser accountability (p<0.05, OR=2.073, 95% CI [1.017-4.226]) and provider choice (p<0.05, OR=2.990, 95% CI [1.817-4.920]) added significantly to the regression model.Conclusions: There is inadequate engagement of citizens in NHIF decision making which may hinder access to NHIF PCHS, therefore NHIF should establish citizens’ needs and preference through public forums, elicit citizens’ feedback, act on complains when raised, inform citizens on how the capitation system works and NHIF should visit health facilities regularly to establish if patients are accessing PCHS.

No abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to establish the influence of individual determinants on self-referrals among pregnant women seeking delivery services in CGTRH Materials and Methods: The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional research. The study target population was all pregnant women seeking delivery services in coast general teaching and referral hospital at the maternity unit. Therefore, 6,420 formed the study population as it is from this sampling frame that a sample of mothers was obtained. A sample of 376 pregnant women was obtained. Systematic random sampling was used to select the pregnant women to be included in the sample. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire. The data collected were cleaned and coded, quantified and analyzed quantitatively. Quantitative data were analyzed using IBM SPSS where descriptive and inferential statistics were used to capture the data in order to understand the pattern and nature of relationships. Univariate analysis was done using descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages,) in order to summarize the data, and the results were presented using charts, graph and tables. Results: The findings indicated a significant relationship between education status and self-referrals whereby, the more educated the pregnant women were the more likely they were to make self-referrals at the referral facility. In particular, pregnant women with tertiary level of education were 4.2 times more likely to make self-referrals compared to those with no education. Further analysis using multivariable logistic regression at a significance level of 0.05 established that there was a significant difference between pregnant women with no education and those with tertiary education, with the latter being 4.4 times more likely to make self-referrals compared to the former. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommends that hospitals ought to enhance their CRM policies so as to deliver quality services that satisfy Information technology infrastructure can revolutionize healthcare with the right policy choices. IT can foster new human connectivity thresholds and is a powerful tool of global convergence through the cross-border provision of services and can as well provide new opportunities for the production of knowledge and skills.