Engagement Program of Public Health Volunteers and Caregivers in Home Care Service for Stroke Patients

Abstract

This research aimed to evaluate the engagement program of public health volunteers and caregivers in home care service for stroke patients. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design, The subjects of 120 were recruited, consisting of 60 public health volunteers and 60 caregivers. Each group was divided into 30 participants as the intervention group and 30 participants as the control group by simple random sampling. The intervention group participated in the engagement program which consisted of 4 task components: 1) improving the movement for the body balance, 2) improving the mental health, 3) improving the environment at home, 4)  preventing the complication of disease. The stroke knowledge for caring stroke patient and stroke care practice in public health volunteers and caregivers were measured at the beginning of the engagement program (baseline) and at a 12-weeks follow-up, and the Barthel ADL index by the questionnaire. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, pair-sample t-test, and independent-sample t-test. The results found that after program implementation, the stroke knowledge for caring stroke patient and stroke care practice of health volunteers and caregivers were significantly higher than the control group (p < .05). The Barthel ADL index of stroke in the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group (p < .001). When comparing the results before and after program implementation, the stroke knowledge for caring stroke patient and stroke care practice in public health volunteers and caregivers were significantly higher than before program implementation. (p < 0.05). The study showed that the engagement program of public health volunteer and caregiver in home care service for stroke patients enhanced their knowledge in their real-life practice. This program was suitable for promoting the public health and caregiver to provide home care service for stroke patients at the community level.