Improving data use in decision-making and utilization of maternal healthcare services through a data-informed platform for health approaches in districts of the Gedeo Zone, southern Ethiopia, 2023: a cluster-randomized control trial

BACKGROUND: In low-resource countries such as Ethiopia, the utilization of local data for planning and decision-making health systems was frequently constrained. In addition, despite several government initiatives, maternal health services were not completely utilized. On the other hand, efforts to effectively utilize the local data available to improve the utilization level of maternal healthcare services were insufficient, necessitating the need for a different approach. OBJECTIVE: This implementation study aims to test and validate the effectiveness of a data-informed platform for health (DIPH) strategies on data use for decision-making and utilization of maternal health services in districts of the Gedeo Zone, southern Ethiopia. METHODS: A two-arm parallel group, type II hybrid, cluster-randomized control trial design has been implemented to conduct the study between 1 September 2022 and 29 February 2024. Six woredas/districts have been assigned to the intervention arm and the other six to the control arm. Baseline and end-line data have been collected from 120 eligible health management staff (from both intervention arm and control arm). In the intervention arm, district health management staff have been given specialized training and continuous technical assistance as a package called the DIPH strategy by embedding it with the district's current decision-making platform such as Performance Review Team meetings. The DIPH strategy has mainly focused on five-step approaches such as situational assessment, stakeholder engagement, defining/setting priorities, planning, and follow-up. Health management staff in the control arm have performed their regular daily activities. The χ(2) and t-tests have been used to check the effect of the intervention. In addition, difference-in-differences estimates have been calculated because the change may inherently occur over time. A P-value of <0.05 and a 95% confidence interval have been used to declare the significance of the intervention. DISCUSSION: The findings of this study were supposed to give insights into implementation strategies that improve data use in decision-making and utilization of maternal healthcare services at the woreda level and uncover contextual factors that boost the response of these strategies.