The Development of Village Health Volunteers’ Competencies for Tuberculosis Care in Trang Province, Thailand

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health concern resulting in high rates of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, despite treatment having been available for over 50 years. It remains a crucial health problem in Thailand. This study aimed to develop a program for building tuberculosis (TB) care competencies of village health volunteers (VHVs) and to examine its effects on the outcomes of care for TB patients.
 
 METHODS: The competency development program (CDP) was developed based on the principles of empowerment and community-based TB care. Forty VHVs in two villages of Khoglor sub-district, Trang, Thailand were recruited. Participants were classified into control and experimental groups equally (n=20) by using a matched pair technique. 
 
 RESULTS: The results showed that the mean scores of TB knowledge, attitude towards TB care, and TB care skills in the experimental group at the baseline and post-intervention were significantly different (p < 0.05). The mean scores of TB knowledge, attitude towards TB care, and TB care skills in the experimental and control groups at the baseline were not different. However, the scores of these three competencies at the post-intervention were significantly higher in the experimental group, compared to the control group (p < .05).
 
 CONCLUSION: Per the findings of the study, healthcare professionals should incorporate the principles of empowerment and community-based TB care in TB training programs in order to enhance TB care competencies of community health volunteers.

Implementation and evaluation of the peer-training program for village health volunteers to improve chronic disease management among older adults in rural Thailand

“…Moreover, Choowong et al. [ 11 ] reported that care service delivery by VHVs in their communities allowed VHVs to make themselves heard and demonstrate their competency to healthcare professionals, which enhanced healthcare professionals’ confidence in working with VHVs [ 39 , 40 ].…”

“…In Thailand, as in many low-to-middle-income countries in transition, failure to effectively implement evidence-informed intervention for older adults with chronic diseases represents a key obstacle in the progress of the healthcare system, resulting from the high burden of disease and the extreme shortage of human and material resources [ 8 ]. Thailand also faces major barriers to providing health promotion and optimal care for older adults, especially those in rural areas, due to a lack of access to quality healthcare services, poverty, and low health literacy [ [9] , [10] , [11] ].…”