The Use of Data for Planning and Service Improvement in Tanzanian Primary Healthcare Facilities: Experience from Star Rating Assessment

Background The use of data for planning and improving healthcare delivery is sub-optimal among developing countries. In 2015, Tanzania started to implement Star Rating Assessment (SRA) process for primary health care (PHC) facilities to improve various dimensions of quality of services, including the use of data. We aimed at assessing the extent and predictors of data use in Tanzanian PHC facilities.Methodology We used the most current national SRA data available in DHIS2 that was collected in 2017/2018 from all 7,289 PHC facilities. A facility was considered using data if gained 80% of the allocated scores. Other dependent variables were the three components that together contribute to the use of data [If PHC facility has Health Management Information systems (HMIS) functional, disseminate information, and has proper medical records]. We determined the association between data use and facility ownership status (public or private), location of the facility (rural or urban) and facility service level (dispensary, health centre or hospital). Results are presented as proportions of facilities that qualified for data use and the three components. The associations are reported in Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI).Results A total of 6,663(91.4%) PHC facilities met our inclusion criteria for analysis. Among the facilities: 1,198(18.0%) had used data for planning and services improvement; 3,792(56.9%) had functional HMIS; 1,752(26.3%) had disseminated data; and 631(9.5%) had proper medical records. PHC facilities that are publicly owned (AOR 1.25; 95% CI: 1.05–1.48) and those at higher service level [hospitals (AOR 1.77; 95% CI: 1.27–2.46) and health centres (AOR 1.39; 95% CI: 1.15–1.68) compared to dispensaries] were more likely to use data.Conclusion The use of facility data for planning and services improvement in Tanzanian PHC facilities is low, and much effort needs to be targeted at privately-owned and low-level PHC facilities.### Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.### Funding StatementThe author(s) received no specific funding for this work.### Author DeclarationsI confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.YesThe details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:The study used secondary data that its use was approved by the Ministry of Health of Tanzania.I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals.YesI understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).YesI have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines and uploaded the relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material as supplementary files, if applicable.YesAll relevant data are within the manuscript and its Supporting Information files.