Performances of village health volunteers in elderly care in Muang District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine an association between performance levels of Village Health  Volunteers  (VHVs)  in  elderly  care  and  related  factors.  The  performances  referred  to  the  levels  of activities for the assigned roles and tasks related to elderly care which composed of three scales: Instrument Active Daily Living scale (IADL), Active Daily Living scale (ADL) and other home cares. A total of 415 self-administered questionnaires were distributed to VHVs in February, 2014. Chi-square tests and multiple logistic  regression were employed  to  identify  significant  predictors  of VHVs performances. Approximately  26  %  of  VHVs  were  classified  into  high  performances  in  elderly  care.  When  adjusting for working hours per day and having experience of taking care of the elderly, significant predictors were: number of trainings that VHVs participated in Adj OR=2.54, 95% CI=1.45-4.45), levels of knowledge (Adj OR=2.51, 95% CI= 0.94-6.75 for good level  and Adj OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 0.56-3.57 for moderate level) and  high  satisfaction  with  working  in  elderly  care  (Adj  OR:  2.10,  95%  CI=  1.14-3.88).  VHVs  who  had good  knowledge  about  elderly  care  were  nearly  three  times  more  likely  to  show  high  performances  than those  who had  poor  knowledge.The  findings  suggested  that  two  significant  key  factors  to  gain  high  levels  of  VHVs’  performance  in elderly  care  are  providing  a  variety  of  refresher  courses  related  to  elderly  care  to  increase  knowledge  and skills,  and  also  improving  the  work place  support  system  and  incentives  to  promote  satisfaction  of VHVs