Role of Village Health Volunteers in Epidemic Situation of COVID-19: A Case Study in Lampang Province

Abstract

A cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to explore the roles and duties according to their expectations and actual performance of Village Health Volunteers (VHVs) during the COVID-19 epidemic from March to April 2021. The samples recruited were 392 VHVs in Lampang Province and had been interviewed with a structured questionnaire. Analyses of the data were to remark distribution of frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations of the information. The study found the sample group had a highest level of expectations for disease prevention according to the role under the Ministry of Public Health (87.20%), a highest level of expectations for health literacy according to the roles of the VHVs 4.0 (91.40%) and, a highest level of expectations for proactive disease control according to the roles in the Epidemic Situation COVID-19 (90.20%). Comparisons showed there were higher average scores of expectation than that of the actual performance according to their roles and duties in health promotion, treatment, rehabilitation, management and coordination in the community, and higher than that of preparation for the Epidemic Situation of COVID-19 with statistical significance (p-value<0.05). In summary, the action of VHVs was a part that promotes and supports management in the Epidemic Situation of COVID-19 to be more effective. Therefore, the government, the private sector and the public should support and promote the VHVs to have work morale and facilitate the provision of appropriate and sufficient working resources.