Social support influencing the performance of village health volunteers in Ban Chang District, Rayong Province

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to 1) the performance of Village Health Volunteers (VHVs); (2) social support in their work; and 3) the relationships between personal factors-namely gender, age, occupation, education level, income, and duration of service and social support with the performance of VHVs. This research employed a quantitative cross-sectional design. The sample consisted of 259 participants selected through multi-stage random sampling. Data were collected using a questionnaire with an item-objective congruence index of 0.88 and an overall reliability coefficient of 0.954. Statistical analyses included percentage, mean, standard deviation, chi-square test, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression analysis. The results revealed that: (1) the overall performance of VHVs was at the highest level; (2) overall social support was at a high level; and (3) personal factors including gender, occupation, income, age, education level, and duration of service were not significantly associated with VHV performance. However, social support significantly influenced VHV performance, accounting for 42.80% of the variance (β = 30.126, p < .01). It is recommended that relevant agencies enhance morale, provide adequate information, and supply appropriate materials and equipment to improve the performance of Village Health Volunteers.