Investigating (Survey) the Appropriateness of Educational Packages with Enviromental Health Needs of Rurals in Order to Improve the Capabilities of Health Care Providers (A Case Study: Mianeh County)

Abstract

Background and Aim: Considering the effect of environmental factors on people's health and inadequacy of health indicators in most rural communities,and the impact of health personnel, especially health workers and their important role in monitoring, training and changing the attitudes and behaviors of considering the effect about environmental health processes,this study with general purpose of evaluation of the educational package available to health workers in health centers and its suitability for environmental health problems in the villages of Miyaneh city in order to improve their capabilitie. Specific objectives of this study include:1) Determining the environmental health problems of miyaneh villages 2) Determining the appropriateness of the content of health care packages with rural environmental health problems 3) Presenting the educational deficiencies of health workers and defining the educational content Methods and Materials: This research is a descriptive study; Which has been done on a case by case basis in 1398 and 1399. At first, the results of needs assessment of health problems in all villages of Miyaneh city in 1397 were extracted, analyzed and prioritized. This was done by referring to the headquarters units of the city health network.To verify the information extracted from the headquarters units,12 villages selected from the four parts of the city were randomly referred and the accuracy of the information was measured. At the same time, the health problems extracted in1396 were examined and analyzed. In the next step, the environmental health training packages available to health workers were reviewed. This was done through a survey form from the experts and experts of the environmental health group. The criteria considered in this form included appropriateness, compliance, adequacy and up-to-dateness of the training package with the problems of the region.The number of participants in this poll was 24. Finally, the scientific information of 87 health workers, who were selected as a sample size, was measured. The selection of these individuals was randomly classified. This assessment was performed by a researcher-made questionnaire on environmental health processes. Results: The information obtained for the years1396 and1397 indicated that the first priority of health needs assessment of the problems of rural areas in both years is environmental health issues. Out of 98 villages with health houses, in 1396, the first priority of 76 villages was environmental health problems.this number was 87 for 1397. Also, in these two consecutive years, 4 processes related to water, sewage, waste and animal waste were in the first ranks of environmental health problems. In consultation with the staff and environmental experts of environmental health, regarding the training package available to health workers, it was found that there are significant shortcomings in the training package available to health workers working in health centers, although these shortcomings in different parts of the package, It had a different amount. According to experts, the part of the package that is dedicated to the sanitary disposal of animal waste and water hygiene was in a better condition than the sanitary disposal of waste and sewage. The average number of correct answers to the questionnaire questions per health worker was approximately 18. This number of responses indicates that the health workers, did not have enough control over the training package available to them. In response to 2 satisfaction questions, about half of participants were dissatisfied with their material and spiritual persuasion.Also, in the questions that were given outside the training package, the correct answers showed a noticeable decrease. Higher educated health workers also showed a higher average response than less literate health workers. Conclusion: Due to the multiplicity of villages that are involved in environmental health problems, the need to upgrade and prioritize environmental health processes in the villages of Miyaneh city, compared to other health problems, is felt. Also, reviewing the opinions of environmental health experts showed that the training package available to health workers had several shortcomings in various sectors.this package is the only reliable reference for health workers when problems and educational needs arise for the rural population. Finally, according to the results of the study, in addition to the lack of educational package, shortcomings such as material and spiritual motivational factors, lack of utilization of people with higher education at the beginning of employment and training and periodic supervision, etc. were evident.