Model Development to Improve Village Health Volunteers’ Ability to Strengthen Skipped Generation Families in Chaiyaphum Province in 2019

Abstract

The objective of this participatory action research was to develop the model to improve village health volunteers’ (VHV) ability to strengthen the skipped generation families in Chaiyaphum province. The study was comprised of 4 steps: 1) Reviewing of concepts, background information and models to improve VHV’s ability to strengthen the skipped generation families; 2) Creating and testing the model; 3) Testing the model; and 4) Evaluating the model use among VHV. The target population and samples included 398 participants that included 1) public health practitioners who were responsible for primary health care at the subdistrict, district and provincial levels, 2) presidents of VHV at the district level and VHV, 3) representatives from school principals, 4) representatives of administrators from subdistrict administrative organizations, 5) representatives from village headmen, and 6) research consulting team from Chaiyaphum Rajabhat University. The study was conducted during November 2018
and August 2019. It was found from the study that the models to improve VHV’s ability to strengthen the skipped generation families developed through the participatory action research included programs to improve counseling skills, data management, risk assessment and analysis and real-time data reporting via smartphones. The researchers developed a smartphone application to assist the data reporting titled ‘Health Care Application’ (HCA). After the VHV completed the program, they conducted the interventions for the skipped generation families
in Chaiyaphum province. The evaluation results showed that the overall family strength was at a very high level with an average of 4.42 (SD=0.10). Their strength in 5 areas was as follows: 1) Relationship was at a high level (=4.30; SD=0.19); 2) Family duties and roles was at a very high level (=4.55; SD=0.23); 3) Family self-reliance was at a high level ( =4.47; SD=0.16; 4) Social capital was at a high level (=4.44; SD=0.16); and 5) Risk avoidance and adaptation during hardship was at a high level (=4.45; SD=0.25).