Assessing the acceptability of data dashboards and charts for monitoring routine immunisation in local governments and primary health centres in Adamawa State, Nigeria

Background: The need to strengthen the quality of routine immunisation data (RI) has been underscored. Thus; affecting effective decision-making and efficient resource allocation. Aim: This study was undertaken to determine the level of acceptability and perceived effectiveness of data dashboard and monitoring chart among RI data managers in Local Governments Areas (LGA) and Primary Health Centers (PHC) in Adamawa State, Nigeria. Method: A cross-sectional survey of 28 data managers from LGAs and 262 from PHCs was carried out in seven underperforming LGAs in the state. The data managers were trained and monitored for implementation of data management using dashboards and monitoring charts. Structured questionnaire was used for the survey. Acceptability was measured across seven domains of Theoretical Framework for Accountability on a five-point Likert scale using a 37-item composite scale for the LGA survey and 36-item composite scale for the PHC survey. Results: Median acceptability scores were generated for each domain and these were used to determine the rates and levels of acceptability. The composite score for acceptability was 4.59 (IQR: 4 - 4.82) and 4.24 (IQR: 4 -4.69) for LGA and PHC data managers, respectively. The median scores for perceived effectiveness and affective attitude were higher than the composite acceptability scores. While the median scores for experienced burden, ethicality and opportunity cost were lower than the composite acceptability scores. The overall rate of acceptability was 75% among LGA data managers and 69.23% among PHC data managers. The levels of acceptability were high at 100% among LGA data managers and 96.92% among the PHC workers. A unit increase in age decreased acceptability by 3.3%, while being male decreased acceptability by 47.1%. Conclusion: The use of data dashboards and charts to monitor RI data quality and performance is acceptable in Adamawa state, and should be scaled up in the State.