Influence of Institutional Factors on Community Level Technology Implementation for Enhanced Data Utilization in Malawi's Health Management Information System

Abstract

The paper details how influences of institutional factors on the implementation of technology and tools at the community level are addressing data use challenges in the Malawi health sector. Particularly, the paper interrogates how the demands, expectations, and practices of organizations operating within the health sector can shape data use. This interpretive qualitative study, conducted in four selected districts across Malawi, applied the lens of institutional pressures. The study used semi-structured interviews, participant observations, documents, and artifact review data collection methods. The findings demonstrate that the Ministry of Health, through demands from partner organizations, implemented technology and tools aimed at improving data use, including the Integrated Community Health Information System, which is enhancing the DHIS2 functionality at the community level; the paper-based Integrated Community Health Register; and the National Community Health Strategy that guides community activities. This study posits that the Ministry of Health's mandate in developing nations, such as Malawi, includes enforcement of a regulatory framework that ensures the legitimacy of all organizations operating within the health sector to a standardized approach for integrated processes of data utilization. The study contributes to the literature on the Information and Communication Technology for Development field by providing empirically grounded perspectives of institutional pressures.