Self-protective behaviors of Thai village health volunteers in community engagement during a COVID-19 outbreak: interpretation using the health belief model
Abstract Background Village health volunteers (VHVs) engaging in community-based COVID-19 prevention and control measures played a key role in mitigating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand. We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire survey study to investigate factors affecting VHVs’ COV...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-03-01
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| Series: | BMC Primary Care |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-024-02346-z |
| _version_ | 1797233377213939712 |
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| author | Paleeratana Wongrith Phuwasin Buakate Lateefah Doylee Naseeyah Phonla Omid Dadras Geoff Frampton |
| author_facet | Paleeratana Wongrith Phuwasin Buakate Lateefah Doylee Naseeyah Phonla Omid Dadras Geoff Frampton |
| author_sort | Paleeratana Wongrith |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Village health volunteers (VHVs) engaging in community-based COVID-19 prevention and control measures played a key role in mitigating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand. We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire survey study to investigate factors affecting VHVs’ COVID-19 self-protective behaviors and social distancing in Songkhla Province during the first COVID-19 outbreak. Such information may help to understand how to support VHVs in future pandemics. Methods A total of 152 VHVs from 13 sub-districts participated in the study, completing a 54-item questionnaire based on the Health Belief Model (HBM). The questionnaire included items assessing susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, self-efficacy, social distancing, and self-protective behavior. Stepwise multiple regression analysis determined which aspects of the HBM could explain VHVs’ self-protective behavior. Results The VHV population sampled broadly reflected the main demographic characteristics of the local population, although VHVs were predominantly female. Self-protective behavior was significantly associated with VHVs’ role (higher perceived compliance for village leaders than non-leaders) but not with other demographic characteristics. Most VHVs reported high levels of self-efficacy (80.5%), adherence to social distancing measures (70.9%), and engagement in self-protective behavior (72.8%) against COVID-19. However, compliance with hand hygiene appeared to be suboptimal, suggesting room for improvement. Self-efficacy and perceived social distancing showed strong and moderate correlations with self-protective behavior against COVID-19 (r = 0.917, β = 0.819; and r = 0.561, β = 0.173 respectively; p < 0.001). The final HBM-based regression model accounted for 87.2% of the variance in VHVs’ self-protective behavior. Conclusions This study highlights the importance of VHVs’ self-efficacy for achieving self-protective behavior during a COVID-19 outbreak, and suggests that self-efficacy may help to overcome barriers that might otherwise hinder behaviors to mitigate against COVID-19. Policies that support self-efficacy should be implemented in any future pandemic, and steps to support VHVs with hand hygiene compliance and empower non-leaders to increase their self-protective behavior may also be helpful. Whilst the HBM provided a useful framework for interpretation, the final model was driven mainly by self-efficacy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T16:15:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-29a7f6a27ae3480e9b6f0622e3824102 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2731-4553 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T16:15:12Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Primary Care |
| spelling | doaj.art-29a7f6a27ae3480e9b6f0622e38241022024-03-31T11:27:41ZengBMCBMC Primary Care2731-45532024-03-0125111010.1186/s12875-024-02346-zSelf-protective behaviors of Thai village health volunteers in community engagement during a COVID-19 outbreak: interpretation using the health belief modelPaleeratana Wongrith0Phuwasin Buakate1Lateefah Doylee2Naseeyah Phonla3Omid Dadras4Geoff Frampton5School of Public Health, Walailak UniversitySchool of Public Health, Walailak UniversitySchool of Public Health, Walailak UniversitySchool of Public Health, Walailak UniversityDepartment of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of BergenSouthampton Health Technology Assessments Centre (SHTAC), Faculty of Medicine, University of SouthamptonAbstract Background Village health volunteers (VHVs) engaging in community-based COVID-19 prevention and control measures played a key role in mitigating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand. We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire survey study to investigate factors affecting VHVs’ COVID-19 self-protective behaviors and social distancing in Songkhla Province during the first COVID-19 outbreak. Such information may help to understand how to support VHVs in future pandemics. Methods A total of 152 VHVs from 13 sub-districts participated in the study, completing a 54-item questionnaire based on the Health Belief Model (HBM). The questionnaire included items assessing susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, self-efficacy, social distancing, and self-protective behavior. Stepwise multiple regression analysis determined which aspects of the HBM could explain VHVs’ self-protective behavior. Results The VHV population sampled broadly reflected the main demographic characteristics of the local population, although VHVs were predominantly female. Self-protective behavior was significantly associated with VHVs’ role (higher perceived compliance for village leaders than non-leaders) but not with other demographic characteristics. Most VHVs reported high levels of self-efficacy (80.5%), adherence to social distancing measures (70.9%), and engagement in self-protective behavior (72.8%) against COVID-19. However, compliance with hand hygiene appeared to be suboptimal, suggesting room for improvement. Self-efficacy and perceived social distancing showed strong and moderate correlations with self-protective behavior against COVID-19 (r = 0.917, β = 0.819; and r = 0.561, β = 0.173 respectively; p < 0.001). The final HBM-based regression model accounted for 87.2% of the variance in VHVs’ self-protective behavior. Conclusions This study highlights the importance of VHVs’ self-efficacy for achieving self-protective behavior during a COVID-19 outbreak, and suggests that self-efficacy may help to overcome barriers that might otherwise hinder behaviors to mitigate against COVID-19. Policies that support self-efficacy should be implemented in any future pandemic, and steps to support VHVs with hand hygiene compliance and empower non-leaders to increase their self-protective behavior may also be helpful. Whilst the HBM provided a useful framework for interpretation, the final model was driven mainly by self-efficacy.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-024-02346-zCommunity engagementHealth belief modelSelf-efficacySelf-protective behaviorVillage health volunteers |
| spellingShingle | Paleeratana Wongrith Phuwasin Buakate Lateefah Doylee Naseeyah Phonla Omid Dadras Geoff Frampton Self-protective behaviors of Thai village health volunteers in community engagement during a COVID-19 outbreak: interpretation using the health belief model BMC Primary Care Community engagement Health belief model Self-efficacy Self-protective behavior Village health volunteers |
| title | Self-protective behaviors of Thai village health volunteers in community engagement during a COVID-19 outbreak: interpretation using the health belief model |
| title_full | Self-protective behaviors of Thai village health volunteers in community engagement during a COVID-19 outbreak: interpretation using the health belief model |
| title_fullStr | Self-protective behaviors of Thai village health volunteers in community engagement during a COVID-19 outbreak: interpretation using the health belief model |
| title_full_unstemmed | Self-protective behaviors of Thai village health volunteers in community engagement during a COVID-19 outbreak: interpretation using the health belief model |
| title_short | Self-protective behaviors of Thai village health volunteers in community engagement during a COVID-19 outbreak: interpretation using the health belief model |
| title_sort | self protective behaviors of thai village health volunteers in community engagement during a covid 19 outbreak interpretation using the health belief model |
| topic | Community engagement Health belief model Self-efficacy Self-protective behavior Village health volunteers |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-024-02346-z |
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