The Development of Palliative Care Capacity for Village Health Volunteers for Terminally Ill Patients in Khaen Yai Sub-district, Roi Et Province: An Action Research Study

Abstract

Background and Objectives: As Thai society rapidly ages, demand for Palliative Care (PC) for terminally ill patients is rising. While PC enhances quality of life (QoL), community services lack continuity and specialists. Developing village health volunteers (VHV) capacity is crucial to bridge this gap. This action research aimed to 1) develop a model for VHV capacity enhancement in PC and 2) examine its outcomes on VHV knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy, and the overall QoL of patients and families.

Methods: This action research utilized the planning, action, observation, reflection (PAOR) cycle with a sample of 33 VHVs (28.45% of 116) from 11 villages in Khaen Yai Sub-district, Roi Et Province. Data were collected from May 2022 to December 2024 using questionnaires for knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, and the WHOQOL-BREF-THAI (26 items). Analysis employed descriptive statistics and the paired t-test.

Results: Post-intervention, VHV mean scores for knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy increased significantly (p < 0.05). Knowledge rose from 10.5 to 18.2, attitude from 45.3 to 52.8, and self-efficacy from 15.6 to 22.1. Additionally, the overall QoL for patients and families under VHV care improved from a moderate to a good level.

Conclusion: The VHV capacity enhancement model in PC proved highly effective, positively impacting VHV competencies and patient QoL. This successful intervention serves as a valuable model for replication.