Patients’ Attendants Community Empowerment as Clean and Healthy Behaviors’ Volunteers in Hospital Setting

Abstract

Background: Clean and Healthy Behaviors (CHB) is one of important program in enhancing hospital’s therapeutic-environment. It invites active contributions from hospital’s acquaintances including patients’ attendants (PAs). Though, PAs play significant roles in patients’ care,most of hospital managements in Indonesia are seen less seriously concern about them. To succeed CHB program, it is essential to identify PA’s attitude, behaviors, perceived barriers in implementing CHBand PA’s characteristics that potentially support them become hospital’s CHB volunteer. Method: This descriptive study involved 136 PAs who recruited conveniently from a district hospital in West Java Indonesia. All respondents asked to fulfill questionnaires including demographic data, attitude (10 items), behaviors questionnaire (10 items), and interviewed for their understanding on CHB program and their perceived barriers in performing CHB in hospital setting. The questionnaires were developed by researchers and tested for the validity and reliability (CVI: .75-1; CVR: + .5-1; Chronbach alpha .827 (attitude questionnaire) and .630 (behaviors questionnaire). Results: The data showed that slightly-above half of PAs (50.7%) had favorable attitude toward CHB but reported low compliance in performing CHB (54.41%). Favorable and compliance PAs were mostly identified in those who were males, patients’ spouse or relatives, in-continuously accompanied patients, higher education, understood about CHB and report as PAto hospital. Additionally, most of compliance PAs identified had favorable attitude (70.79%; p < .05).This signifies the previous finding suggested that positive attitude is required for positive behaviors. Conclusion: Generally, most of PA’s attitude and behaviors related CHB required improvement and PAs who were males, higher educational level, patients’ spouse/relatives, in-continuously accompanying patients and knew about CHB were potentially empowered to be hospital’s CHB volunteers.