Health literacy and behavioral model of Dhammanamai among village health volunteers in the Northern Thailand

Abstract

This cross-sectional study aimed to explain the level of health literacy and health behavior, investigate relevant factors, predict factors, and construct the behavioral model of Dhammanamai among village health volunteers (VHVs) in northern Thailand. The sample participants were 347 VHVs in Phayao Province, Thailand. They were selected by using the multi-stage random sampling technique. In this research, a questionnaire was used for collecting data that was administered from June-August 2021. Data were analyzed through descriptive analysis, independent-sample t-tests, one-way ANOVA and stepwise multiple regression analysis. The results revealed that both health literacy and health behaviors regarding Dhammanamai had an adequate level (X ̅ = 62.69, SD = 8.284; X ̅ = 52.83, SD = 6.149). The years of VHVs experience was significantly related to health literacy (p-value = 0.004) and the total components of health literacy on Dhammanamai were significantly related to health behavior (r=0.543). The behavioral model of Dhammanamai identified four independent variables that significantly influenced health behavior regarding Dhammanamai; health literacy (p-value < 0.001) age (p-value < 0.01) disease condition (p-value < 0.05) and sex (p-value < 0.05). These affecting factors were taken to construct the health behavior regarding Dhammanamai and could predict model at 33.7%. The health behavior regarding Dhammanamai model is equal to constant (19.20) + HLD (0.417) + AGE (0.124) – DISEASE CONDITION (1.604) + SEX (1.774). The recommendation should be taken to establish a health literacy program regarding Dhammanamai among Village Health Volunteers in the same area study.