Barriers and enhance health education programs in the rural community of Ardabil District in 2016: A Mixed Method Study

Abstract

Introduction & Objective: Health education is a complex and multistage activity that has a significant impact on health literacy and health behaviors. The purpose of this study was to explain the barriers of health education programs from the viewpoint of providers and recipients of health services and to determine the impact of program implementation on promoting health education in rural communities of Ardabil. Materials and Methods: This was a mixed method study. In the first part of the study, a qualitative study approach by content analysis was carried out and the second part was an interventional study. The research community was formed by rural health service providers and recipients. For qualitative sampling, sampling method was available, targeted and informant and with maximum variation, and in the quantitative part, sampling was by a census type. The qualitative information gathering tool was researchers and semi-structured interviews and nominal group sessions. In the quantitative section, standardized and researcher-made questionnaires were used. In the quantitative part of the study, the educational capacity building program was implemented as an intervention for target groups. Data analysis in the qualitative section was done BY using content analysis method and by using MAXDQA software and in the quantitative section, descriptive statistics and SPSS software. Findings: Based on findings from the qualitative section, four themes, were identified as "inefficient learning and teaching," "lack of motivation and knowledge seeking," "communication gap," and "inadequate resources." In the intervention section, the capacity building of educational interventions was done by holding nominal group meetings and decision of the research team included three barriers (communication gap, job motivation and learning disability) that were roughly selected for implementing Interventions which were prioritized, and a capacity building program and health promotion intervention were carried out among rural health staff and clients. In the quantitative section, statistical tests showed that following the implementation of capacity building and educational interventions, communication skills and job motivation, awareness and behaviors of clients about health literacy and healthy lifestyle and prevention of chronic diseases and customer satisfaction from the provided training has significantly changed. (p = 0.05). Conclusion: Providers and recipients of health services in rural health houses faced barriers to health education. Managers can enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of rural health centers and health houses by helping to enhance the communication and staffing motivation of personnel, hardware and software support for health education programs, and encouraging recipients with material and spiritual encouragements to attend educational sessions