Factors Related to the Competency of Lop Buri Province Public Health Officers

Abstract

This descriptive research aimed to investigate public health officers’competency level and factors to their competency level. The samples consisted of 229 participants who were Lop Buri province public health officers. The instrument was a questionnaire aimed at collecting data about:                 1) personal factors, 2) related factors to competency, 3) competency, and 4) suggestions for improvement.  The questionnaire was validated by three expects (IOC = .93). Its reliability was .84, was tested using Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, Chi-Square, and Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient.

The research showed that the competency of the public health officers was at a very high level (= 4.22, S.D. = .412). Intrapersonal factors (r = .835, p <.001) including attention to develop positive attitudes (r = .768), attention to improve skills (r = .764), and self-efficacy perception (r = .745) were highly related to competency, Attention to develop knowledge (r = .623) and organization factors (r = .626) were moderately associated with competency were related to competency. Among the organizational factors, organizational culture displayed the highest r value (r =.611), followed by climate (r =.511, p <.001).

            In conclusion, intrapersonal factors and organizational factors were found related to competency. The research recommended an emphasis on attention to develop positive attitudes and skills, self-efficacy perception, attention develop knowledge, and promotion of good organizational culture and climate. This will result in officers’ high competency effective work.