การแพร่กระจายข่าวสารสาธารณสุขในระดับหมู่บ้านเพื่อการพัฒนาสาธารณสุขมูลฐาน : ศึกษาเฉพาะกรณีการให้ภูมิคุ้มกันโรคในเขตอำเภอโนนไทย จังหวัดนครราชสีมา / มันธนา หิมกร =Diffusion of public health information at the rural village level for primary health care development : a case study of immuniztion in amphoe Non Thai, Nakhon Ratchasima / Munthana Himarkorn
Good health is an essential aspect of increasing the quality of life of the people. This is especially true for the young children whose bodies are in the formative stage of development. At young ages, there is a higher risk of contacting diseases. According to the most recent health statistics of Thailand, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus and tuberculosis are still major health problems. The Ministry of Public Health therefore has a policy to eradicate these dangerous illnesses. This policy has led to the Expanded Program of Immunization which has, as its target, the entire coverage of the population through the existing health infrastructure, free of charge. In support of the EPI program, there have been public relations and mass communication efforts, such as radio, television and printed materials, as well as use of health personnel and village health volunteers and communicators. The objectives of this study are as follows: 1. to study the extent of media exposure for the EPI program; 2. to study the KAP of the target population; 3. to study the relationship between media exposure and adoption of BCG, DPT vaccinations; 4. To study the relationship between socio-economic factors and BCG, DPT vaccination adoption. The samples used in this study were 250 mothers of children under six in Amphoe Non Thai, Kakhon Ratchasima Province of Thailand. Data were collected by personal interview. The hypotheses are as follows: 1. Interpersonal communication is a more effective Channel than mass media in promoting EPI health behavior. 2. Socio-economic factors are important in predicting the EPI health behavior of mothers. 3. Media exposure is positively associated with EPI health behavior. The results of the study showed that rural mothers had received EPI information at a high rate. Most had heard the information from the radio, followed by government health personnel. In studying EPI health behavior it was found that interpersonal communication was more effective than mass media in promoting immunization. Concerning specific knowledge of immunization, virtually all mothers did not know the proper age at which to bring their children for BCG, DPT vaccinations. However, the rate of receiving these two immunizations was quite high. Concerning the relationship between media exposure and EPI behavior, it was found that the frequency of media exposure was positively correlated with BCG, DPT vaccinations when the variables of convenience of travel and beliefs were controlled. However, when attitude toward government health services was controlled, the positive correlation between media exposure and BCG, DPT vaccinations disappeared for the group of mothers who had an unfavorable attitude toward government health services. In addition, socio-economic factors such as income, education, and occupation (but excluding age, marital status) had significant correlations with BCG vaccination behavior. However, education, occupation and marital status (but not age) were found to have significant correlations with DPT vaccination behavior. These results showed that the dissemination of the EPI program had a significant influence on vaccination behavior. Interpersonal communication channel (government health personnel, health volunteers and communicators) and radio were found especially to have the most important influence on the vaccination behavior of the rural population. Thus these results are useful as guidelines for the selection of promotional strategies for the EPI program and for other primary health care service programs.