title: Completeness and accuracy of data transfer of routine maternal health services data in the greater Accra region.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High quality routine health system data is essential for tracking progress towards attainment of the Millennium Development Goals 4 & 5. This study aimed to determine the completeness and accuracy of transfer of routine maternal health service data at health facility, district and regional levels of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional study was conducted using secondary data comprised of routine health information data collected at facility level for the first quarter of 2012. Twelve health facilities were selected using a multistage sampling method. Data relating to antenatal care and delivery were assessed for completeness and accuracy of data transfer. Primary source data from health facility level (registers and record notebooks where health information data are initially entered) , used as the reference data, were counted, collated, and compared with aggregate data on aggregate forms compiled from these sources by health facility staff. The primary source data was also compared with data in the district health information management system (DHIMS-II), a web-based data collation and reporting system. Percentage completeness and percentage error in data transfer were estimated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data for all 5,537 antenatal registrants and 3, 466 deliveries recorded into the primary source for the first quarter of 2012 were assessed. Completeness was best for age data, followed by data on parity and hemoglobin at registration. Mean completeness of the facility level aggregate data for the data sampled, was 94.3% (95% CI = 90.6% - 98.0%) and 100.0% respectively for the aggregate form and DHIMS-II database. Mean error in data transfer was 1.0% (95% CI = 0.8% - 1.2%). Percentage error comparing aggregate form data and DHIMS-II data respectively to the primary source data ranged from 0.0% to 4.9% respectively, while percentage error comparing the DHIMS-II data to aggregate form data, was generally very low or 0.0%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Routine maternal health services data in the Greater Accra region, available at the district level through the DHIMS-II system is complete when compared to facility level primary source data and reliable for use.
authors.affiliation: Julius Global Health, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre, Utrecht, the Netherlands. menba19@yahoo.com.|School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana. menba19@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amoakoh-Coleman
authors.affiliation: Julius Global Health, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre, Utrecht, the Netherlands. gakayode@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Gbenga A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Kayode
authors.affiliation: Ghana Health Service, Greater Accra Region, Accra, Ghana. cbrowndavies@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brown-Davies
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana. iagyepong@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Irene Akua
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Agyepong
authors.affiliation: Julius Global Health, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre, Utrecht, the Netherlands. d.e.grobbee@umcutrecht.nl.
authors.forename: Diederick E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Grobbee
authors.affiliation: Julius Global Health, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre, Utrecht, the Netherlands. k.klipstein-grobusch@umcutrecht.nl.|Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. k.klipstein-grobusch@umcutrecht.nl.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Klipstein-Grobusch
authors.affiliation: Research and Development Division, Ghana Health Service, Accra, Ghana. Ansahekdr@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Evelyn K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Ansah
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D057286:Electronic Health Records / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*