Evaluating data quality at a primary healthcare rehabilitation centre in a low-resource context.

BACKGROUND

Reliable rehabilitation data are essential for planning, monitoring, and strengthening health systems. In low-resource primary healthcare settings, however, data quality remains a challenge. This study assessed the availability, completeness, and consistency of rehabilitation data at a primary healthcare rehabilitation centre in South Africa.

METHODS

A facility-based retrospective descriptive case study was conducted through a document review of annual reports and supporting documents from 2014 to 2023. The World Health Organization's Guidance on Routine Health Information Systems - Rehabilitation module was used as the assessment standard to evaluate the completeness and consistency of the rehabilitation centre's available data. Data were analysed descriptively to evaluate key data elements' completeness and consistency across years and rehabilitation disciplines (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language therapy).

RESULTS

Loss of data, staff turnover and lack of a centralized health information system affected the availability of data. Of the 9 core indicators assessed, none were fully complete; five were partially complete, four were entirely absent. Completeness of key data elements varied from 34 to 80%. Lack of data consistency was observed between disciplines and across reporting years, including non-standardized reporting formats, different naming or grouping of categories, and unexplained gaps and fluctuations in the data.

CONCLUSION

The study highlights substantial gaps in the availability and quality of rehabilitation data at the primary healthcare facility. Findings underscore the need for standardized data collection tools, capacity-building in data management, and integration of rehabilitation indicators into electronic health information systems. Strengthening data quality mechanisms is critical not only for PHC rehabilitation services in South Africa but also for other low-resource settings seeking to advance evidence-based rehabilitation policy, planning, and research.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable.