Development of Operational – potential Enhancement Model according to the Occupational Diseases and Environmental Diseases Control Act for Public Health Officials in Yasothon Province

Abstract

This action research aimed to: 1) examine public health officers’ perceptions of the Occupational Disease and Environmental Disease Control Act; 2) develop a model for enhance operational potential in compliance with the Act; and 3) evaluate the effectiveness of implementing a model among public health officers working in Yasothon Province. The study was conducted in four steps from April to September 2024: 1) Planning,  including an analysis of public health officers’ perceptions of the law and their training needs collected data by using questionnaire for 75 purposively sampled of public health officers, and the model's development through a participatory process involving 21 carefully selected public health officers focusing on occupational and environmental diseases; 2) the model's implementation through planned activities, involving 65 public health officers selected using a combination of purposive and simple random sampling; 3) an evaluation of the model's effectiveness; and 4) the reflection on the model's implementation involved collecting data through questionnaires and interview guidelines. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a paired t-test for quantitative data, and content analysis for qualitative data.

The results showed that participants had a high level of law perception (X̄=3.75, S.D.=0.79). 77.4% perceived that compliance with the law was moderately to highly challenging. Participants expressed a high demand for capacity building to improve compliance (X̄=4.01, S.D.=0.70). The model for enhancing operational potential included three components: training, practical exercises by self-directed learning, and a knowledge database. The results of the model's implementation showed a participants' knowledge before and after training showed a statistically significant difference (p<0.001). Participants' readiness to comply with the law before and after training showed a statistically significant difference (p<0.001). Participants rated their satisfaction with the model for enhancing operational potential at the highest level (X̄=4.54, S.D.=0.45). The reflection for who using the model revealed that the model's activities significantly improved work performance and supported participants’ readiness for work, and it was flexible to add the new information continuously. Based on the data, it is recommended that the Yasothon Provincial Public Health Office continue to provide capacity-building opportunities for its public health officers.