Innovative Blended Technology for Developing Village Health Volunteers Competency to Support a Full-Fledged aging Society in the Community Surrounding the Urban Society in Nakhon Sawan Province

Abstract

This study aimed to develop the competency of village health volunteers in the community surrounding urban area of Mueang Nakhon Sawan District, Nakhon Sawan Province. The study also aimed to develop an innovative blended technology for the volunteers and manage the network of village health volunteers in the same area. The researcher used David C. McClelland’s competency development concept for this research. The study was conducted on a purposive sample of 312 village health volunteers from the Mueang Nakhon Sawan District. The research instruments included a standard village health volunteer training website and a knowledge test. Data were collected and analysed using descriptive statistics, including the mean and standard deviation.
Research Findings
The results showed that the village health volunteer standard training curriculum consisted of eight subjects: 1) Basic Public Health and Community Health Systems, 2) Village Health Volunteers, 3) Laws related to Village Health Volunteers, 4) Healthy and Happy Life, 5) Essential Health Services,6) Communication in Basic Public Health, 7) Community Planning/Project Development, and 8) Management. The quality of the training website, as evaluated by experts, was at a high level overall (x̄)=4.19). Individually, the graphics and design components were rated at the highest level (x̄=4.56), followed by the lesson content at the highest level (x̄=4.51) Interaction design was rated as high (x̄=4.33), internet network techniques were high (x̅=4.47), and the lesson introduction was high (x̄=4.25). The standard village health volunteer training website can be effectively used for the target population. The management of the new village health volunteer network involved increasing the number of new volunteers by 10% per year, which is 32 people, from the initial 312 volunteers in the community surrounding the urban area, and adding one new community area per year. Competency development of village health volunteers can transform their performance. Therefore, this approach should be applied to a broader range of target groups and adapted for use in other areas as appropriate. Future research should focus on developing ongoing knowledge and skill enhancement for Village Health Volunteers. Additionally, it is recommended to promote activities or platforms for shared learning to foster a greater sense of duty and appreciation for the work.