Quality of records in clinical forms of childbirth in the Maternity Hospital of Lubango, Angola / Calidad de los registros en las formas clínicas del parto en el Hospital Maternidad de Lubango, Angola

Objective: To describe the quality of clinical records of deliveries and births by quantitative assessing the unfilled variables in birth data collection forms and their implications at Maternity Hospital, in the municipality of Lubango, Angola. Method: The study was conducted from January to August 2018. It adopted a quantitative research design, analysed variables not filled in a total of 202 birth record forms collected for 3 months (secondary data). Results: The findings revealed that 80% of the sections of the entire set of information about obstetrical history were not filled in. This occurred with a relatively high frequency resulting in some of the relevant variables being left blank, such as antenatal diagnosis (94%) and the number of last menstruation (91%). Conclusions: The rate of missing fundamental information from the clinical birth record are high. This result has important implications in evaluating the quality of data and may, consequently, jeopardize: 1) the evaluation of the prenatal assistance, 2) the clinical assistance at delivery, and 3) decision-making for preventive and intervening procedures. (AU)

Objetivo: Describir la calidad de los registros clínicos de partos y nacimientos mediante la evaluación cuantitativa de las variables no cumplimentadas en los formularios de recolección de datos de nacimiento y sus implicaciones en el Hospital de Maternidad de Lubango, Angola. Método: El estudio se realizó de enero a agosto de 2018. Adoptó un diseño de investigación cuantitativa y analizó variables no cumplimentadas en un total de 202 registros de nacimiento recolectados durante 3 meses (datos secundarios). Resultados: Los hallazgos revelaron que el 80% de las secciones de todo el conjunto de información sobre la historia obstétrica no se completaron. Esto ocurrió con una frecuencia relativamente alta, lo que provocó que algunas de las variables relevantes se dejaran en blanco, como el diagnóstico prenatal (94%) y el número de la última menstruación (91%). Conclusiones: La tasa de falta de información fundamental en el registro clínico de nacimientos es alta. Estos resultados tienen implicaciones importantes en la evaluación de la calidad de los datos y, en consecuencia, pueden poner en peligro: 1) la evaluación de la asistencia prenatal, 2) la asistencia clínica al parto y 3) la toma de decisiones para los procedimientos preventivos e intervinientes. (AU)

Quality of records in clinical forms of childbirth in the Maternity Hospital of Lubango, Angola.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the quality of clinical records of deliveries and births by quantitative assessing the unfilled variables in birth data collection forms and their implications at Maternity Hospital, in the municipality of Lubango, Angola. METHOD: The study was conducted from January to August 2018. It adopted a quantitative research design, analysed variables not filled in a total of 202 birth record forms collected for 3 months (secondary data). RESULTS: The findings revealed that 80% of the sections of the entire set of information about obstetrical history were not filled in. This occurred with a relatively high frequency resulting in some of the relevant variables being left blank, such as antenatal diagnosis (94%) and the number of last menstruation (91%). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of missing fundamental information from the clinical birth record are high. This result has important implications in evaluating the quality of data and may, consequently, jeopardize: 1) the evaluation of the prenatal assistance, 2) the clinical assistance at delivery, and 3) decision-making for preventive and intervening procedures.