Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Field Report 4.2
Field Report 4.2
BY
AUGUST 2000
1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I acknowledge the following people and institutions for the help, support and guidance
they offered that enabled the conduction and completion of the study:
1. The District Director of Health Services, Mukono for the support and guidance.
2. The District Health Services Project and IPH for the financial assistance.
3. The members of the District Health Team who helped in the data collection process.
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ITEM PAGE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………………………………………………….. ii
LIST OF ACRONYMS…………………………………………………………….……………………………… v
ABSTRACT………………………………………………………….…………………………………………….. vi
CHAPTER ONE…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 1
1.0 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………………………………….………………. 1
1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM…………...…………………………………………………………………………….. 3
1.2 JUSTIFICATION……………………………..………………………………………………………………………………. 4
CHAPTER TWO…………………………………………………………………………………………………... 5
2.0 STUDY OBJECTIVES……………………..…………………………………………………….…………………………...
5
2.1 GENERAL OBJECTIVES……………………………………………………………………….……………………………
2.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES……………….……………………………………………………….…………………………… 5
5
CHAPTER THREE………………………………………………………………………………………………...
6
3.0 METHODOLOGY……………………….……………………………………………………….…………………………...
6
3.1 STUDY AREA…………………………………….………………………………………………………………………….
6
3.2 STUDY POPULATION…………………………..…………………………………………………………………………..
3.3 STUDY UNITS…………………………………..…………………………………………………………………………… 6
3.4 STUDY DESIGN……………………………….…………………………………………………………………………….. 6
3.5 SAMPLE SIZE AND SAMPLE DETERMINATION….……………………………………………………………………. 6
3.6 STUDY VARIABLES AND INDICATORS….……………………………………………………………………………... 6
3.7 DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS…….………………………………………………………………………………. 7
3.8 QUALITY CONTROL………………………………………………………………………….……………………………. 7
3.9 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS…………...………………………………………………………………………………… 7
3.10 DATA MANAGEMENT AND ANALYSIS.………………………………………………………………………………. 7
3.11 STUDY LIMITATIONS…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8
3.12 DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8
CHAPTER FOUR..………………………………………………………………………………………………... 9
4.0 RESULTS……………………………………………………………………….……………………………………………. 9
CHAPTER FIVE….……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 17
5.0 DISCUSSION………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………... 17
CHAPTER SIX……...……………………………………………………………………………………………...
19
6.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS..…………………………………………………………………………...
19
6.1 CONCLUSIONS…...………………………………………………………………………………………….……………….
19
6.2 RECOMMENDATIONS...……….………………………………….………………………………………………………...
19
REFERENCES………………………….……………………………….…………………………………………
20
APPENDICES………………………………………………………………………..………….………………………….……..
21
APPENDIX 1………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 21
APPENDIX 2………………………………………………………………………………...…………………………………….. 23
3
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES
TABLES
FIGURES
4
LIST OF ACRONYMS
5
ABSTRACT
Setting: The study was conducted in 23 private maternity units in Mukono district found
in the South-east of Uganda.
Objective: To identify the factors influencing regular reporting of maternal and child
health information from the private maternity homes in order to generate data which
could help in improving the reporting system.
Design: A cross sectional study carried out in July 2000 in 23 private maternity units in
Mukono district.
Results: The mean age of the respondents was 42.5 (sd=12). Twenty one (21, 91.3%)
were female and 2 (8.7%) were male. Of these, 74% were enrolled midwives. Most (12,
52.2%) units had been operational for more than 10 years. All units offered Antenatal
care and conducted deliveries, while the units despite very good attendance rates for the
services available did not all offer other important Maternal and Child Health services.
Records were used mainly (15, 65.2%) for the management of accounts and few (2,
8.7%) mentioned using it for compiling returns. Only 4 in-charges had heard of the
HMIS, and being a clinical officer was associated with having heard of the HMIS
(p=0.024). All 4 who had heard of the HMIS had a positive attitude towards it. Lack of
forms for reporting was the main (5, 52.2%) problem faced, as well as incomplete records
and no feedbacks got on the reports sent to the DDHS’s office. Most (18, 78.3%)
suggested being provided reporting forms and being oriented (13, 56.5%) on the HMIS as
a way of improving the reporting system.
6
Conclusions: Lack of adequate awareness on the HMIS, lack of reporting forms, poor
record keeping and no feedback from the DDHS’s office on the returns sent there were
the factors that promoted irregular reporting to the office of the DDHS. However, all
units provide Antenatal care and delivery services, while the other maternal and child
health services are not provided by all private units, despite good attendance rates at these
units. The main use of data was for the management of accounts. The private midwives
had no knowledge of the HMIS.
7
CHAPTER 1
1.0 INTRODUCTION
management decisions, and the Health Management Information system can do this
effectively for the manager in the health system (Manual of District Health System in
Uganda, 1995).
On that note, health information is thus a very important management tool which should
be comprehensive and also collected from all units providing health care, whether private
The basic indicators of maternal and child health in Uganda remain among the poorest in
the region. Maternal mortality rate in Uganda is estimated at 506/100 000 live births and
the major obstetric causes are haemorrhage, sepsis, ruptured uterus, eclampsia and unsafe
abortion (UDHS, 1995). Maternal mortality among among women 15-49 years can be
strategic plan, 1997). Adequate maternal services also considers the four pillars of safe
motherhood as Family planning, Ante-natal Care, Clean and safe deliveries and Essential
8
Maternal and Child Health/Family Planning is a component of the national strategy to
improve the health status of the population (MOH National Policy guidelines for Family
Planning and Maternal Health service delivery, 1992). A number of programs to improve
maternal services have been implemented, but few if any private units are involved. One
of the key problems that mothers face is access to contraceptives and high quality
reproductive health care services. Providing this access could prevent some of the
millions of unwanted pregnancies that occur each year and save the lives of millions of
mothers and children. High quality reproductive health programs are needed that are
sustainable, appropriate to local cultures and sensitive to client needs. According to the
existing needs and reduce the public sector burden. Involving them in the routine
reporting system can thus shed better light on existing trends as regards reproductive
Kampala and is bordered by the districts of Kamuli in the North East, Jinja in the East,
Iganga in the South East, Lira in the North, Luwero and Nakasongola in the North West,
Mpigi in the West and the republic of Tanzania in the South. Mukono district has a total
The district occupies 14 635 sq.km of land. The climate is equatorial and modified by an
altitude of 1 060- 1 220 meters above sea level, and a temperature range of 16 0C-270C.
The total projected population for the year 2000 now stands at 1,088, 755 (Projection
9
from Housing and population census of 1991), with an annual growth rate of 2.4%.
Women of childbearing age constitute 23% of the total population with a fertility rate of
6.8 children per woman. There are 29 private maternity units registered in the year 1999
and who are offering Maternal and Child Health services (MCH). The Maternal and
Twenty-nine (29) private units in Mukono district report to the District Health
Directorate. However, it is noted that not all units report regularly. The services offered
by these units are not also known. Since the beginning of the year, 6 out of the 29 units
have reported monthly to date. The rest report irregularly. It is also not known whether
the private midwives have any knowledge on the Health Management Information
10
System (HMIS) and its importance and whether they have a positive attitude towards it.
1.2 JUSTIFICATION
Identifying the factors affecting the regular reporting to the office of the DDHS will aid
in identifying the gaps that need to be bridged for improvement in the smooth running of
the HMIS. Knowing the services offered by these private maternity homes as well as the
utilisation of these services can also help to update the records already available. The
gaps identified in as far as their knowledge and attitude on the HMIS is concerned can
help to identify interventions by the DHT to improve the reporting system. Many
programs have been implemented to improve the health of mothers and children in
Mukono district. It is known that the population prefers private units for care as they
value courteous services, convenience, accessibility and ready availability of drugs, and
yet these programs hardly involve the private maternity homes. The data generated from
this study is thus vital for adequate planning and implementation of Reproductive Health
programmes; and also for the DHT to improve the reporting system by the private
midwives.
11
CHAPTER 2
To identify the loop holes in the smooth running of the HMIS and to obtain maternal and
child health information from the private maternity homes in order to generate data which
could help in improving the reporting system and thus the provision of these services.
1. To determine the Maternal and Child Health services offered in the private units.
4. To assess the knowledge and attitude of the in-charges on the Health Management and
Information System.
5. To get the midwives, views on the factors affecting the regular reporting of health
12
CHAPTER 3
3.0 METHODOLOGY
Mukono district
Number of referrals
13
Number of antenatal care attendances
Use of information
Check list for the services offered and deliveries and other attendances
Data was analyzed using the Epi-Info 6 computer software package. Results were
presented as proportions, frequencies and in the form of tables, graphs and pie charts
were appropriate.
Research assistants were trained in data collection methods. Questionnaires were pre-
tested prior to actual data collection. Data was field edited and there were daily debrief
meetings.
Informed consent was obtained from the respondents. Permission to carry out the study
14
3.10 Study limitations
Incomplete records
Lack of records
Data will be disseminated to the Institute of Public Health for evaluation and the District
Health Directorate.
15
CHAPTER 4
4.0 RESULTS
23 of the 29 private maternity homes were involved in the study. In three units, the in-
charges were not available and 3 units were found to be no longer operational since the
year begun.
Age : Their mean age was 42.5 years (sd=12) and ranged from 20 to 63 years.
Registered
Clinical Officer midwife
9% 4%
Double trained
13%
Enrolled midwife
74%
16
Most respondents were Enrolled midwives.
The respondents had been in practice for a range of 2 to 38 years with a mean of 19.3
years. Most (12, 52.2%) of the units had been operational for more than 10 years.
There was a noted relationship between sex and qualification as depicted in Table 1
below:
Male Female
Midwife/double trained 0 21
Clinical officer 2 0
TOTAL 2 21
________________________________________________________________________
The Fisher’s exact test gave a p-value of 0.004. Thus being a female was associated with
4.1 Types of services offered. Figure 2 shows the type of services offered by the units
25 23 23
21
20
FREQUENCY
15 12
9 8
10 7
5
0
Immunisation
STD
Postnatal
Planning
ANC
Deliveries
Adolescent
Family
Health
SERVICES OFFERED
17
Antenatal care and Deliveries are conducted in all units. The units that agreed they
offered post-natal services, reported very low attendances for post-natal care.
5000
4000
FREQUENCY
3000
2000
1000
0
1999 Jan '00 Feb '00 Mar '00 Apr '00 May '00 Jun '00
MONTH/YEAR
18
4.2.2 Figure 4: Number of deliveries conducted
2500
FREQUENCY
2000
1500
1000
500
0 Jan-Jun '00
1999
Deliveries
Still births
BBAs
Neonatal deaths
Maternal deaths
Neonatal
Deliveries Still births BBAs Maternal deaths
deaths
1999 2182 26 8 4 1
Jan-Jun '00 1027 5 5 3 1
1800
1600
1400
FREQUENCY
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
Ne w Ne w c lie nt s Ne w c lie nt s Ne w c lie nt s Re visit s
Re visit s Re visit s Ops Re visit s DEP O
a c c e pt ors OP s DEP O Condoms Condoms
More new acceptors of family planning methods have been recorded from January to
19
4.2.4 Figure 6: Attendances for Immunisation
1600
1400
1200
FREQUENCY
1000
800
600
400
200
0 BCG P olio 0 P olio 1 P olio 2 P olio 3 DP T 1 DP T 2 DP T 3 Me a sle s TT
1999 465 182 477 378 380 412 344 354 397 716
J a n-J un 2000 537 285 575 469 553 612 569 491 553 1473
Many mothers and children are immunised at these units. All these are, however, reported
Few in-charges of the units used the records for compiling returns.
20
All respondents recorded their attendances in hard covered books. Most (14, 60.9%) also
stored these books in a cupboard, 6 (26.1%) stored them in desk drawers and 3 (13%)
4.4 Knowledge and attitude on the Health Management Information System (HMIS)
Table 3 shows the responses when asked whether they had heard of the HMIS.
Yes 4 17.4
No 19 82.6
TOTAL 23 100
Table 4 shows the relationship between qualification and having heard of the HMIS:
Midwife/double trained 2 19 21
Clinical Officer 2 0 2
TOTAL 4 19 23
Fisher’s exact 2-tailed test gave a p-value of 0.024. Therefore being a Clinical Officer
21
4.5 Importance of the HMIS
Table 5 shows what the respondents thought were the importances of the HMIS.
Table 5: Knowledge of importance of HMIS by respondents
Assists in planning 3 75
The four who had heard of the HMIS had good knowledge of its importance.
Lack of forms for returns affects the smooth reporting system. Table 7 shows the
responses when asked what their suggestions were for improving the reporting system.
22
Table 7: Suggestions for improving the reporting system
Most of the respondents were interested in being oriented on the HMIS as a way of
23
CHAPTER 5
5.0 DISCUSSION
The private maternity units do offer a cross section of maternal and child health services.
The main activities are Antenatal care and conducting deliveries which is done by all the
units which were involved in the study. These services are also well attended by mothers.
This study did not cover 6 units, but the figures got still showed a very high attendance
rate for these units. It is known that the private units are more receptive to patients thus
attracting more patients. The government units could borrow a leaf from these private
practitioners. Considering that mothers still pay even higher fees than that paid in
government units, the major factors attracting more mothers to these units as was found
by Odoi et al, 1996 includes courteous services, convenience, accessibility and ready
availability of drugs.
Mothers in the community are noted to prefer using DEPO Provera as a means of
contraception. Records for condoms are not necessarily kept by the private practitioners.
All units had good record keeping habits and recorded their attendances in hard covered
books. Their storage habits were also good with most storing their records in cupboards.
This is as a result of the private midwives association to which they belong. It encourages
recording data as well as reporting the data to relevant authorities. This is a good starting
point for improving the reporting system. The main use of the records by these private
practitioners is connected with the proper management of their units as regards making
24
profit and sustaining their businesses. Regarding that they are mostly private workers and
dependant on sustenance from the very businesses, it is understandable that they should
get their businesses running well. Use of records for compiling returns was hardly
conceived as an important reason for keeping records. One thing noted about the record
keeping is that it was not well organised. Getting information from those records was
quite a task. Infact it was also mentioned by one respondent that there was too much to
record and how to organise their recording was the main problem. The private midwives
had hardly heard of the HMIS, but they were willing to be informed about it. This could
Lack of forms for reporting was cited as a problem faced in reporting to the DDHS’s
office. These forms were printed from the private midwives association but did not
include all the Reproductive Health Services as they now stand. Developing reporting
forms for these private midwives could help in facilitating a more comprehensive
reporting system for the district. Most of these units also provide laboratory and curative
services. Providing them the HMIS registers and forms would assist them in reporting
more comprehensively on the services they are offering in their units. A similar finding
was reported by the MAPS initiative report which noted that Primary Health Care service
delivery points (like private maternity homes) are incomplete without minor curative
services and immunisation capabilities. The paucity of knowledge on the HMIS by these
private midwives who serve a big number of the underserved population calls for their
25
orientation on the HMIS to ensure better recording and reporting practices by these
midwives.
CHAPTER 6
6.1 CONCLUSIONS
All units provide Antenatal care and delivery services while the other maternal and
child health services are not provided by all private units despite good utilisation of
the services.
Lack of forms for reporting was the main factor causing irregular reporting.
6.1 RECOMMENDATIONS
HMIS registers and forms be provided for the private maternity homes to aid
Support supervision could include the supervision of these private units as well.
26
References
Ministry of Health, maternal Child Health/Family planning five year strategic plan 1997-
2000.
Ministry of Health, National Policy guidelines for family Planning and Maternal health
service delivery, 1992.
27
7.0 APPENDICES
Appendix 1: Check list
Unit no.------------------ County------------------------
FP Counselling with no
Acceptance
Revisitors -Oral pills
-IUDS
-DEPO
-Condomns
-Natural methods
-Foaming tablets,creams,jellies
STD services
Immunization -BCG
-Polio 0
-Polio 1
-Polio 2
-Polio 3
-DPT 1
-DPT 2
-DPT 3
-Measles
Health education
Adolescent health services
-Counseling
-Contraception
-STD services
28
Number of deliveries in 1999
Number of deliveries in January 2000
Number of deliveries in February 2000
Number of deliveries in March 2000
Number of deliveries in April 2000
Number of deliveries in May 2000
Number of deliveries in June 2000
Number of still births in 1999
Number of neonatal deaths in 1999
Number of maternal deaths in 1999
Number of still births from January to June 2000
Number of neonatal deaths from January to June
2000
Number of maternal deaths from January to June
2000
Number of mothers referred for further care in 1999
Number of mothers referred for further care from
January to June 2000
1. Age-----------
2. Sex------------
29
3. Qualifications:
(a) Registered nurse
(b) Double trained
(c) Public health nurse
(d) Other(specify)-------------------------------
4. Years of practice?----------------
5. How long has the unit been operational;
(a) <1 year
(b) 1-3 years
(c) >3 years
6. How many staff work in this unit?---------------
7. What are their qualifications?----------------------------------------------------------------
8. What services do you offer in your unit?(Tick)
(a) Deliveries
(b) ANC
(c) Family planning
(d) Post-natal services
(e) STD services
(f) Other(specify)-----------------------------------------------
9. Do you have records for your patients and clients? Y/N
10. Where is the information recorded?
(a) Hard covered books
(b) Exercise books
(c) Other(specify)---------------------------------------------
11. Where do you store these records?-------------------------------
12. What do you use these records
for?--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
13. Have you had any deaths in your unit? Y/N
14. What are the causes of the deaths?(Give the causes and the number of deaths against
each)-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
30
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15. Have you heard of the Health Management Information System(HMIS)? Y/N
16. If yes, what is/are the importance of the
system?---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------
17. What are your views on the
HMIS?----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------
18. Have you reported monthly since January of this year to May to the DDHS’s office?
Y/N
19. If not, what are your reasons for not reporting
regularly?-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------
20. Do you have standardized forms for reporting? Y/N
21. Are you supervised/ Y/N
22. Who supervises you and how often?-----------------------------------------------------------
23. What problems do you face in reporting to the DDHS’s
office?-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------
24. What are your suggestions for improving the reporting
system?---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------
31