Factors Related to the Performance of Village Health Volunteers to Operate Health Management Village in Samut Sakhon Province

Abstract

Background: The development of health management village is a crucial approach to promoting community participation in their own healthcare. It aims to empower communities to think, set goals, manage, and continuously evaluate the outcomes of health initiatives. This is achieved through the leadership of Village Health Volunteers (VHVs), who drive operations with community involvement.

Objectives: To investigate the factors associated with the performance of Village Health Volunteers (VHVs) to Operate Health Management Village in Samut Sakhon Province.

Methods: This descriptive study was conducted among 400 Village Health Volunteers (VHVs) in Samut Sakhon Province with at least one year of experience in their VHV role. Participants were selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected through a questionnaire adapted from the Department of Health Service Support, Ministry of Public Health. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including mean, percentage, standard deviation,     Chi-square test, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05

Results: The study found that most of the group were female (81.75%), with an average age of 56.55 years, married (52.50%), had completed primary school (49.25%), were Buddhist (99.75%), and worked in agriculture (30.25%). They had an average family income of 13,274 baht/month, and they had been a VHV for 5-10 years (26.75%), able to use smartphones for work (94.75%), and had received regular training from public health officials (99.75%). Overall knowledge of health managed village operations was high, as was the overall level of psychosocial factors. Analysis of the relationship between various factors and health managed village operations of VHVs in Samut Sakhon Province revealed a statistically significant relationship between personal factors (duration of VHV service, age, education level, and training from health officials) and overall psychosocial factors, and health managed village operations. Examination of the sub-factors of psychosocial factors revealed a statistically significant relationship between all factors and VHV health managed village operations, except for positive perception of others. Social support had the highest correlation, followed by influence over others, relationships with others, and job satisfaction, respectively.

Conclusion: Factors related to the performance of village health volunteers to operate health management village in Samut Sakhon Province include duration of VHV service, age, education level, training, social support, influence over others, relationships with others, and job satisfaction.

Recommendations: Government organizations have a fantastic opportunity to support personnel development by encouraging knowledge and work skills, facilitating exchange of experiences and listening to opinions that benefit the organization. This creates a fantastic learning process and a great way to pass on knowledge from generation to generation. It's such an important strategy for taking care of people to ensure good health, as well as building morale, encouragement, pride and acceptance from society, local communities and families of public health volunteers. The goal is to develop the public health service system and create cooperation among the public sector in taking care of good health sustainably.