Voluntary health workers' knowledge, attitude and practices regarding record keeping in Akinyele LGA of Oyo State, Nigeria

Lack of basic health data for monitoring and evaluation of health services continue to affect the planning, implementation and evaluation of health services in Nigeria. This has contributed to the poor health status and inefficient health services in the country. In the primary health care management information system (PHCMIS), Voluntary Village Health Workers (VHWs) and Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) are responsible for collecting information at the community/village level. Trained research assistants administered a pretested semi structured questionnaire and filled an observation checklist to all the voluntary health workers in Akinyele LGA of Oyo State in a cross-sectional survey conducted to assess their record keeping practices as well as their knowledge of and attitude towards it. Results showed that almost half of the respondents had no formal education and a similar proportion had been VHWs for between over 10 years. Over eighty per cent knew the uses of record keeping for monitoring and evaluation purposes. Their attitude towards it was positive and almost all felt it was easy to keep records. Ninety six percent keep records of their health activities and most forward them. It was observed that only 11 (10.8%) respondents had the VHW/TBA record of work produced and recommended by the Federal Ministry of Health because they were reportedly not supplied to them. The factors that were associated with record keeping practices were positive attitude towards record keeping, duration of work as a VHW/TBA, prior training on record keeping and receiving feedback on records kept. Recommendations made included periodic training and retraining of the VHWs on record keeping, ensuring consistent supply of record forms and providing regular feedback on records kept to the VHWs.