The Evaluation of Child Development Project on the Auspicious Occasion of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorns 5th Cycle Birthday Anniversary on 2nd April 2015

Abstract

Objective: The aims of this study were to determine the factors affecting the developmental status of children 9, 18, 30, 42 and 60 months, the factors relating primary caretakers to use Developmental Surveillance and Promotion Manual (DSPM) and primary caretaker satisfaction on DSPM usage and the child development promotion project management system.

Methods: This study is a mixed method research consisting of a quantitative study using questionnaire and child development screening by DSPM in a primary caretakers and children age 9, 18, 30, 42 and 60 months, with a total of 3,970 samples. While the qualitative study used in-depth interviews, the sample consisted of 164 health professionals.

Results: The results showed that 46.9% of early childhood was normal development. According to classify by age, children aged 9, 18, 30, 42 and 60 months had normal development in 70.0%, 47.4%, 37.8%, 38.2%, and 41.6%, respectively. For the factors affecting developmental status were statistically significant, there were included health regional, age, and gender of child, father's education, parent-child relationship status, child's emotional background and DSPM usual behavior of the primary caretakers. As the factors relating primary caretakers to use DSPM was statistically significant were health regional, age of child, primary caretaker’s attributes, receiving a child support subsidy, and professional and health volunteer’s explanation to use DSPM. Also, founded that 49.3% of primary caretakers had a high level of satisfaction with use of the DSPM. The project has been defined as a policy to practitioners at the provincial, district, and sub-district level, and driving the operation through the subcommittee on the promotion of early childhood development at the provincial level and the network of four main ministries. Moreover, the professional need to development through training, exchange of knowledge and supervision.

Conclusion: There was accelerate the creation of a system to track the acquisition until use of DSPM. There was effective at the health regional, provincial, district and sub-district level. That enhancing skills in the use of DSPM manuals and referrals to parents, postnatal professional and healthy child’s clinics. In addition, parents, caretakers, health volunteers and network partnerships should be encouraged to be aware and have knowledge about to use the DSPM.