Development of health literacy programs and self-defense behavior from liver fluke and cholangiocarcinoma with community participation

Abstract

This study was action research using PAOR (Planning, Action, Observation, and Reflection). The purpose was to develop a health literacy and self-protective behavior program for liver fluke and cholangiocarcinoma with community participation in Tambon Tansum, Tansum district, Ubon Ratchathani province. The sample group was selected by random sampling of 94 people and by a purposive selection of 40 people. Quantitative data were collected by questionnaire, while qualitative data were accumulated through a focus group. The statistics used for analyzing data were frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and paired t-test, and content analysis was applied to qualitative data. The developed program applied the health literacy and health education concept of the Division of Health Education, Department of Health Service Support. The program consisted of 5 learning activity plans: 1) access to information and health services, 2) truly know, understand, and be safe from disease, 3) communicate, ask questions, and exchange knowledge, 4) decide to reduce and stop risky behaviors, and 5) plan, set the goals to create health behaviors. After carrying out the activities according to the program, the results showed that the average score of knowledge (Mean diff. = 3.47, 95%CI: 2.75-4.19), health literacy (Mean diff. = 29.39, 95%CI: 25.04-33.75), prevention behavior (Mean diff. = 34.14, 95%CI: 32.49-35.79), and participation in problem management (Mean diff. = 9.24, 95%CI: 7.35-11.14) increased statistically significantly at the 0.05 level. This study illustrated that health literacy and the self-Protective behaviors program for liver fluke and cholangiocarcinoma was suitable for promoting accessibility, understanding, inquiry, validity assessment for decision making and using the information to modify behavior, which resulted in a reduction in liver fluke infection rates in the area.