Impact of Data Management on Healthcare Research in University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State

Healthcare research refers to systematic investigation and analysis conducted to advance medical knowledge, enhance patient care, inform healthcare policies, and generate evidence-based findings that guide clinical decision-making and improve healthcare practices. Healthcare research is integral to advancing medical knowledge, enhancing patient care, and shaping healthcare policies. Data management plays a significant role in the healthcare research domain, with efficient practices being crucial for ensuring the quality and efficiency of research and ultimately leading to improved patient care.The general objective is to assess the impact of data management on healthcare research in University College Hospital. Ibadan. Specifically, the study examines the involvement, practices, and attitude toward research, the current data management practices, the impact of data management on the quality and efficiency of healthcare research and also the challenges with data management and its impact on healthcare research The study employs a quantitative research design, using stratified random sampling to select 316 respondents and a mailed questionnaire was used to gather data from healthcare researchers at UCH. The data was analysed using Statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS) employing methods such as descriptive statistics i.e, simple percentage, mean, standard deviation, pie charts and inferential statistical techniques, including regression analysis and relative mean to determine the leading factors for each objective. The findings indicate a moderate involvement in research among the majority (65.19%) of respondents, with data management practices rated high by 69.62% of participants. Furthermore, 69.62% affirmed that effective data management has a high impact on the quality and efficiency of healthcare research. The challenges with data management were also significant, with 74.68% of respondents acknowledging that these challenges greatly impact healthcare research at UCH. Regression analysis revealed a significant positive effect of data management on research quality and efficiency (F=21.776, P