Healthcare providers' perception towards utilization of health information applications and its associated factors in healthcare delivery in health facilities in Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana.

<h4>Background</h4>Information and communication technology (ICT) has significantly advanced global healthcare, with electronic health (e-Health) applications improving health records and delivery. These innovations, including electronic health records, strengthen healthcare systems. The...

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Main Authors: Richard Okyere Boadu, Godwin Adzakpah, Nathan Kumasenu Mensah, Kwame Adu Okyere Boadu, Jonathan Kissi, Christiana Dziyaba, Rosemary Bermaa Abrefa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2024-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0297388&type=printable
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author Richard Okyere Boadu
Godwin Adzakpah
Nathan Kumasenu Mensah
Kwame Adu Okyere Boadu
Jonathan Kissi
Christiana Dziyaba
Rosemary Bermaa Abrefa
author_facet Richard Okyere Boadu
Godwin Adzakpah
Nathan Kumasenu Mensah
Kwame Adu Okyere Boadu
Jonathan Kissi
Christiana Dziyaba
Rosemary Bermaa Abrefa
author_sort Richard Okyere Boadu
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Information and communication technology (ICT) has significantly advanced global healthcare, with electronic health (e-Health) applications improving health records and delivery. These innovations, including electronic health records, strengthen healthcare systems. The study investigates healthcare professionals' perceptions of health information applications and their associated factors in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana's health facilities.<h4>Methods</h4>We used a descriptive cross-sectional study design to collect data from 632 healthcare professionals (HCPs), in the three purposively selected health facilities in the Cape Coast municipality of Ghana, in July 2022. Shapiro-Wilk test was used to check the normality of dependent variables. Descriptive statistics were used to report means with corresponding standard deviations for continuous variables. Proportions were also reported for categorical variables. Bivariate regression analysis was conducted to determine the factors influencing the Benefits of Information Technology (BoIT); Barriers to Information Technology Use (BITU); and Motives of Information Technology Use (MoITU) in healthcare delivery. Stata SE version 15 was used for the analysis. A p-value of less than 0.05 served as the basis for considering a statistically significant accepting hypothesis.<h4>Results</h4>Healthcare professionals (HCPs) generally perceived moderate benefits (Mean score (M) = 5.67) from information technology (IT) in healthcare. However, they slightly agreed that barriers like insufficient computers (M = 5.11), frequent system downtime (M = 5.09), low system performance (M = 5.04), and inadequate staff training (M = 4.88) hindered IT utilization. Respondents slightly agreed that training (M = 5.56), technical support (M = 5.46), and changes in work procedures (M = 5.10) motivated their IT use. Bivariate regression analysis revealed significant influences of education, working experience, healthcare profession, and IT training on attitudes towards IT utilization in healthcare delivery (BoIT, BITU, and MoITU). Additionally, the age of healthcare providers, education, and working experience significantly influenced BITU. Ultimately, age, education, working experience, healthcare profession, and IT training significantly influenced MoITU in healthcare delivery.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Healthcare professionals acknowledge moderate benefits of IT in healthcare but encounter barriers like inadequate resources and training. Motives for IT use include staff training and support. Bivariate regression analysis shows education, working experience, profession, and IT training significantly influence attitudes towards IT adoption. Targeted interventions and policies can enhance IT utilization in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana.
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spelling doaj.art-d06d1b91881e4d1385bc3c75f0de09832024-02-07T05:31:17ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032024-01-01192e029738810.1371/journal.pone.0297388Healthcare providers' perception towards utilization of health information applications and its associated factors in healthcare delivery in health facilities in Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana.Richard Okyere BoaduGodwin AdzakpahNathan Kumasenu MensahKwame Adu Okyere BoaduJonathan KissiChristiana DziyabaRosemary Bermaa Abrefa<h4>Background</h4>Information and communication technology (ICT) has significantly advanced global healthcare, with electronic health (e-Health) applications improving health records and delivery. These innovations, including electronic health records, strengthen healthcare systems. The study investigates healthcare professionals' perceptions of health information applications and their associated factors in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana's health facilities.<h4>Methods</h4>We used a descriptive cross-sectional study design to collect data from 632 healthcare professionals (HCPs), in the three purposively selected health facilities in the Cape Coast municipality of Ghana, in July 2022. Shapiro-Wilk test was used to check the normality of dependent variables. Descriptive statistics were used to report means with corresponding standard deviations for continuous variables. Proportions were also reported for categorical variables. Bivariate regression analysis was conducted to determine the factors influencing the Benefits of Information Technology (BoIT); Barriers to Information Technology Use (BITU); and Motives of Information Technology Use (MoITU) in healthcare delivery. Stata SE version 15 was used for the analysis. A p-value of less than 0.05 served as the basis for considering a statistically significant accepting hypothesis.<h4>Results</h4>Healthcare professionals (HCPs) generally perceived moderate benefits (Mean score (M) = 5.67) from information technology (IT) in healthcare. However, they slightly agreed that barriers like insufficient computers (M = 5.11), frequent system downtime (M = 5.09), low system performance (M = 5.04), and inadequate staff training (M = 4.88) hindered IT utilization. Respondents slightly agreed that training (M = 5.56), technical support (M = 5.46), and changes in work procedures (M = 5.10) motivated their IT use. Bivariate regression analysis revealed significant influences of education, working experience, healthcare profession, and IT training on attitudes towards IT utilization in healthcare delivery (BoIT, BITU, and MoITU). Additionally, the age of healthcare providers, education, and working experience significantly influenced BITU. Ultimately, age, education, working experience, healthcare profession, and IT training significantly influenced MoITU in healthcare delivery.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Healthcare professionals acknowledge moderate benefits of IT in healthcare but encounter barriers like inadequate resources and training. Motives for IT use include staff training and support. Bivariate regression analysis shows education, working experience, profession, and IT training significantly influence attitudes towards IT adoption. Targeted interventions and policies can enhance IT utilization in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0297388&type=printable
spellingShingle Richard Okyere Boadu
Godwin Adzakpah
Nathan Kumasenu Mensah
Kwame Adu Okyere Boadu
Jonathan Kissi
Christiana Dziyaba
Rosemary Bermaa Abrefa
Healthcare providers' perception towards utilization of health information applications and its associated factors in healthcare delivery in health facilities in Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana.
PLoS ONE
title Healthcare providers' perception towards utilization of health information applications and its associated factors in healthcare delivery in health facilities in Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana.
title_full Healthcare providers' perception towards utilization of health information applications and its associated factors in healthcare delivery in health facilities in Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana.
title_fullStr Healthcare providers' perception towards utilization of health information applications and its associated factors in healthcare delivery in health facilities in Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana.
title_full_unstemmed Healthcare providers' perception towards utilization of health information applications and its associated factors in healthcare delivery in health facilities in Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana.
title_short Healthcare providers' perception towards utilization of health information applications and its associated factors in healthcare delivery in health facilities in Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana.
title_sort healthcare providers perception towards utilization of health information applications and its associated factors in healthcare delivery in health facilities in cape coast metropolis ghana
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0297388&type=printable
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