Effectiveness of a Health Educational Program Based on Self-Efficacy and Social Support for Preventing Liver Fluke Infection in Rural People of Surin Province, Thailand

Abstract

Opisthorchiasis is a major problem in Thailand particularly in northeast region which also has a high incidence of cholangiocarcinomas. Since health modification is needed, this quasi-experimental study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a health education program based on self-efficacy and social support in Tha Tum district, Surin province, Thailand. A total of 70 participants were purposive selected with a history of opisthorchiasis. Participants were divided into experimental and control groups, each with 35 subjects. The experimental group received a health education program composed of: (1) knowledge improvement, lectured with multimedia, demonstration, brochure, and handbook; (2) group discussion about their health beliefs, sharing their ideas and experience; and (3) social support from village health volunteers (VHV), heads of villages (HV), friends, and members of families, and public health officer (PHO). Follow-up was by PHO/VHV/HV, with provision of certificates and flasg for household that did not eat raw fish. Data were collected by predesigned questionnaires after implementation of the program for 3 months. Comparative data was analyzed by paired simple t-test and independent t-test. The results revealed that the experimental group had mean score of knowledge higher more than before the experiment (mean difference=3.1, t=3.915, 95%CI-3.3, -1.8 p-value=0.001), and the control group (mean difference=2.5, t=4.196, 95%CI=1.4, 3.6, p-value=0.001) with statistical significance. The mean scores of practice were higher than before the experiment (mean difference=4.6, t=4.331, 95%CI-5.3, -3.1, p-value=0.001), and control group (mean difference=4.4, t=6.142, 95%CI=4.2, 7.9, p-value=0.001) . The mean scores of perceived susceptibility and perceived severity of opisthorchiasis, al well as perceived benefits and perceived barriers to prevention of opisthorchiasis, were also higher than before the experiment and in the control group (p-value <0.001). In conclusion, this was a successful health education program for liver fluke avoidance. Therefore, it may useful for further behavior modification in the other epidemic areas.

Knowledge-Behavior Gap on COVID-19 among Older People in Rural Thailand

“…The health promotion campaign provided through the VHV scheme was effective inasmuch as there were individuals who adhere to the messaging. Among the strengths of the VHV scheme that several studies (Kaewpitoon et al, 2016; Lyttleton, 1996; WHO, 2007) assessed was the capability of health volunteers to formulate their messages to reflect the local community’s lifestyle. Whether the aim was for infectious or non-communicable diseases, the health volunteers were able to provide clear communication.…”

Cholangiocarcinoma protective factors in Greater Mekong Subregion: Critical issues for joint planning to sustainably solve regional public health problems

“…Therefore, it is necessary to find out a suitable model or method for reducing the risk factors, such as using the model of having village health volunteers in high-risk areas in Thailand with a shortage of health personnel [ 19 ] or the parallel program of village health volunteers in the twin cities (Thailand–Laos) [ 18 ] to prevent and reduce CCA risk factors. In addition, some high-risk areas have adopted a public health approach [ 20 – 23 ] or one health approach [ 24 , 25 ] to reduce risk factors or control OV and CCA.…”

Public health interventions for preventing re‐infection of Opisthorchis viverrini: application of the self‐efficacy theory and group process in high‐prevalent areas of Thailand

“…No OVinfected Bithynia snails, the first intermediate host, were detected in the lake after six years of implementation [28]. Several studies in Thailand have also indicated a correlation between the self-efficacy application on the health education programme for preventing OV and CCA [12][13][14][15]. There is some critical evidence that public health programmes are beneficial: without behavioural modifying public health processes, 86% of the infection could relapse [29].…”

“…Many studies have presented models for behaviour modification and reducing CCA risk in northeast Thailand. Health education programmes for preventing OV and CCA by applying the self‐efficacy concept of Bandura [11] were designed in the Nakhon Ratchasima [12, 13], the Surin [14] and the Khon Kaen [15]. Moreover, a group process study was applied to change consumption behaviour causing OV infection risk in the Sakon Nakhon [16].…”