The Effects of Village Health Volunteers’ Participation to Home Health Care Model on Quality of Life in Stroke Patients

Abstract

       This was a quasi-experimental research which aimed to study 1) the effects of Village Health Volunteers’ participation in a Home Health Care Model on the Quality of life of stroke patients. 2) satisfactions of Village Health Volunteers, patients and their care givers with the participation in Home Health Care. The sample groups included 1) 30 village health volunteers recruited by the multi-stage random sampling method, 2) 30 stroke patients receiving home care from the volunteers, and 3) 30 main caregivers.  Samples were grouped into a 15-members of experimental group and a 15-members of control group in Suphanburi province.  Applied research instruments consisted of two parts, namely 1) a data collection Instrument, including a) personal data questionnaire, b) ADL assessment form, c) Quality of life measurement form, and d) the satisfaction of the Village Health Volunteers semi-structural interview form; 2) the experimental instrument was the Village Health Volunteers’ participant Model used for rehabilitation at Home Health Care Service. Data analysis methods included distribution, percentage, chi-square, mean, standard deviation, t-test and content analysis. 

      The results showed that mean score of the Quality of Life of the experimental group was statistically significant higher than that of the control group (p<.05). The results from interviews found that the Village Health volunteers who received training were satisfied to participate in Home Health Care rehabilitation. Moreover, patients and caregivers who participated in this study were satisfied with the rehabilitation service. The findings suggest that the model should be used to guide the care for stroke patients at home.