Development of health literacy community model on opisthorchiasis prevention in Bueng Kan province

Abstract

Liver fluke infection remains a long-standing health problem. It is a disease that undermines the health of many people and is a cause of cholangiocarcinoma. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the development for health literacy community model to prevent opisthorchiasis in Bueng Kan province. The study was divided in to 3 phases: phase 1 community diagnosis; phase 2 drafting and improving efficiency of the health literacy community model; and phase 3 trial the health literacy community model in selected 40 people each in the experimental and the comparison group. Data were collected 3 times by using the questionnaire regarding health literacy on opisthorchiasis which were done before the experiment, after the experimentation, and at the follow-up period. Data were analyzed by repeated measure ANCOVA and the model was assessed for efficiency and effectiveness . The results showed that the efficiency of the health literacy community model was 80/80 in accordance with the criteria set and the statistically significant different of liver fluke literacy of the 3 measures were found according to the repeated measure ANCOVA (p <0.01). The repeated measure ANCOVA showed that health literacy community scores on Opisthorchiasis of the experimental group was significantly greater than that measured before the experimentation (p <0.01). The scores of both the experimental group and the control group measured after the experimentation and at the follow-up period were significantly higher than the scores measured before the experimentation in all aspects. In conclusion, the health literacy community model on the prevention of Opisthorchiasis was efficient and effective in enhancing the literacy skill on opisthorchiasis of people in the target community and it will lead to the practice guidelines for preventing Opisthorchis viverrini infection among people in Bueng Kan province.