title: Voices from the grassroots.
abstract: We evaluated the opinion of health workers and the cost effectiveness of report forms from which health statistics in Thailand are compiled. A consortium of health workers designed and tested questionnaires to allow grading of opinion with regards to time spent, reliability, relevancy, duplication and the possible value of 37 forms ranging from maternal and child health, disease surveillance, outpatient department attendance etc. Out of 8041 health centres and rural hospitals, 787 were randomly selected to receive the questionnaires, some 54% participated. The grades were summed such that the highest score reflects highest utility. The ratio between utility and time spent on each item was computed. Mean time spent on health information was 53 man-hours per month. Utility score correlates well with time spent (Rp 0.058, P = 0.002). However, utility/time ratio has a negative statistically significant correlation with time spent (Rp = -0.63, P less than 0.0001). The occasional report requested by administrators has the lowest utility/time ratio. We concluded that peripheral health workers can help in the actual design and performance of research relating to health information. Time spent on health information is high. As time spent increases the cost-effectiveness tends to decrease.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Thailand.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chongsuvivatwong
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nitimanop
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D006282:Health Personnel; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records; D012423:Rural Health; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology