Development of Health Communication Competencies of Village Health Volunteers through the Participatory Process of Thawung District Health Network

Abstract

Introduction: Village health volunteers (VHVs) are health communication channels in public health operation, but still lack health communication competencies. This study aimed to investigate obstacles to health communication of VHVs and develop a health communication competency model for VHVs.

Methods: This participatory action research was conducted in Thawung District, Lopburi Province, since this areawas found to have participatory process in solving problems and health staffs who were interested in developing the competencies of VHVs. This study consisted of 3 phases: 1) an investigation of health communication problems in patients with chronic diseases through in-depth interviews with key informants including health network managers and VHVs,  2) the development of a health communication competency model byanalyzing the problems and guidelines through discussion with researchers and stakeholders, such as health network managers, public health officers, nurse care managers, and VHVs, using 4W1H questions; and 3) the trial of the model involving VHVs with at least two years of experience in providing care for patients with chronic diseases following the operation plan and the evaluation of the effectiveness of the model.

Results: The results revealed that the strengths of VHVs in healthcare communication included their prioritization of providing care for patients with chronic diseases and their knowledge of providing care for patients with chronic diseases due to their frequent participation in training in providing care for patients with chronic diseases. However, their obstacles to health communication were lack of disseminating skills to make people understand and realize the importance of health practice, disease prevention and lack of health communication training., The health communication competency model could improve their health communication competency as the VHVs are required to participate at least one training program on caring for patients with chronic diseases The model also emphasized skill practice and performance evaluation after skill practice. The result of the trial revealed that most VHVs significantly had higher health competency and skills after treated with the model. 

Conclusion: The development of VHVs’ health communication competency