Health information needs assessment among self-help groups and willingness for involvement in health promotion in a rural setting in Puducherry: A mixed-method study

BACKGROUND: Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over their own health. Community involvement in social and environmental interventions tends to improve people's health and quality of life. Self-help groups (SHGs) primarily focus on microfinancing, thereby acti...

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Main Authors: Sathish Rajaa, Shanthosh Priyan, Subitha Lakshminarayanan, Ganesh Kumar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2019-01-01
Series:Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.jehp.net/article.asp?issn=2277-9531;year=2019;volume=8;issue=1;spage=186;epage=186;aulast=Rajaa
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author Sathish Rajaa
Shanthosh Priyan
Subitha Lakshminarayanan
Ganesh Kumar
author_facet Sathish Rajaa
Shanthosh Priyan
Subitha Lakshminarayanan
Ganesh Kumar
author_sort Sathish Rajaa
collection DOAJ
description BACKGROUND: Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over their own health. Community involvement in social and environmental interventions tends to improve people's health and quality of life. Self-help groups (SHGs) primarily focus on microfinancing, thereby acting as a catalyst in bringing backward society to the mainstream. They possess huge potential to influence the health of the community. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to assess the willingness among SHGs for the involvement in health promotion activities and to assess their health information needs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted during September 2017 in rural Puducherry. All 86 SHGs in four selected villages were covered, and their leaders were interviewed using a structured questionnaire on functioning of SHGs and their health information needs. Willingness for health promotion activities was rated on an interest scale (1–100). RESULTS: Among the 86 heads of SHGs interviewed, 81 SHGs (94.1%) were registered. They were mainly involved in microfinancing. Health information needs expressed were cancer detection (45%), diabetes (60%), hypertension (56%) and vector-borne diseases (63%). When asked to rate their willingness on an interest scale for health promotion activities, nearly 64% showed a great interest (i.e., score > 60). Majority were willing to work for noncommunicable disease-related activities such as provision of drugs (86%) and for screening of various cancers (84%). CONCLUSION: This study has shown that majority of SHG members have expressed willingness for the involvement in health-related activities, thereby can be utilized as an important resource for health promotion in rural areas.
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spelling doaj.art-84875730cf5745f0b4cc659dc270e9fc2022-12-21T20:15:22ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Education and Health Promotion2277-95312019-01-018118618610.4103/jehp.jehp_35_19Health information needs assessment among self-help groups and willingness for involvement in health promotion in a rural setting in Puducherry: A mixed-method studySathish RajaaShanthosh PriyanSubitha LakshminarayananGanesh KumarBACKGROUND: Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over their own health. Community involvement in social and environmental interventions tends to improve people's health and quality of life. Self-help groups (SHGs) primarily focus on microfinancing, thereby acting as a catalyst in bringing backward society to the mainstream. They possess huge potential to influence the health of the community. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to assess the willingness among SHGs for the involvement in health promotion activities and to assess their health information needs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted during September 2017 in rural Puducherry. All 86 SHGs in four selected villages were covered, and their leaders were interviewed using a structured questionnaire on functioning of SHGs and their health information needs. Willingness for health promotion activities was rated on an interest scale (1–100). RESULTS: Among the 86 heads of SHGs interviewed, 81 SHGs (94.1%) were registered. They were mainly involved in microfinancing. Health information needs expressed were cancer detection (45%), diabetes (60%), hypertension (56%) and vector-borne diseases (63%). When asked to rate their willingness on an interest scale for health promotion activities, nearly 64% showed a great interest (i.e., score > 60). Majority were willing to work for noncommunicable disease-related activities such as provision of drugs (86%) and for screening of various cancers (84%). CONCLUSION: This study has shown that majority of SHG members have expressed willingness for the involvement in health-related activities, thereby can be utilized as an important resource for health promotion in rural areas.http://www.jehp.net/article.asp?issn=2277-9531;year=2019;volume=8;issue=1;spage=186;epage=186;aulast=Rajaahealth promotionself-help groupswillingness
spellingShingle Sathish Rajaa
Shanthosh Priyan
Subitha Lakshminarayanan
Ganesh Kumar
Health information needs assessment among self-help groups and willingness for involvement in health promotion in a rural setting in Puducherry: A mixed-method study
Journal of Education and Health Promotion
health promotion
self-help groups
willingness
title Health information needs assessment among self-help groups and willingness for involvement in health promotion in a rural setting in Puducherry: A mixed-method study
title_full Health information needs assessment among self-help groups and willingness for involvement in health promotion in a rural setting in Puducherry: A mixed-method study
title_fullStr Health information needs assessment among self-help groups and willingness for involvement in health promotion in a rural setting in Puducherry: A mixed-method study
title_full_unstemmed Health information needs assessment among self-help groups and willingness for involvement in health promotion in a rural setting in Puducherry: A mixed-method study
title_short Health information needs assessment among self-help groups and willingness for involvement in health promotion in a rural setting in Puducherry: A mixed-method study
title_sort health information needs assessment among self help groups and willingness for involvement in health promotion in a rural setting in puducherry a mixed method study
topic health promotion
self-help groups
willingness
url http://www.jehp.net/article.asp?issn=2277-9531;year=2019;volume=8;issue=1;spage=186;epage=186;aulast=Rajaa
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AT shanthoshpriyan healthinformationneedsassessmentamongselfhelpgroupsandwillingnessforinvolvementinhealthpromotioninaruralsettinginpuducherryamixedmethodstudy
AT subithalakshminarayanan healthinformationneedsassessmentamongselfhelpgroupsandwillingnessforinvolvementinhealthpromotioninaruralsettinginpuducherryamixedmethodstudy
AT ganeshkumar healthinformationneedsassessmentamongselfhelpgroupsandwillingnessforinvolvementinhealthpromotioninaruralsettinginpuducherryamixedmethodstudy