Community Participation in Health Promotion

Abstract

Community participation in health promotion  used qualitative research method. There were 61 participants including 4 executives of Tambon Administration Organization (TAO), 2 district health promotion officers, 12 village health volunteers, 10 community lead, 5 target groups from each village (5 villages),  7 teachers and pupils from primary school in the community , and 1 teacher from an early childhood development center.  Data were collected by observation, in-depth interview, and review literature. Analysis of data used content analysis.  Findings of this research showed that there were 4 major parties of the community participation in health promotion  namely: 1) Tambon Administration Organization provided financial support and particular public relations, 2) various local sectors/agencies, it was found that  district health promotion hospital was the principal of activities development; and two levels of education settings: primary school and early childhood development center were responsible for activities of daily living and learning management with health promotion, 3) citizens: the village health volunteers served as the coordinator between sectors/agencies and citizens/people to distribute information of health promotion, and acted as community lead of health promotion; the elderly club was the principal in health promotion of the elderly under the advice by district health promotion officers; and the civilian defense volunteers were responsible for health promotion of adolescents and school age group, and 4) local organization, it was found that village headman had major responsibility for  information dissemination and community lead of activities. The performance of local health promotion included 1) performed activities within local context, and 2) performed by job description designated by each agency and on aged group basis.  For the working groups were the main manpower for earning income, thus their community participation in health promotion still require proper pattern management. Therefore, health agency acted as the principal local health promotion and was able to establish coordination with other local sectors/ agencies and citizens. The action of health sector/agency was based on the citizens’ way of life and socioeconomic factors which were crucial to health promotion.