Rāhburdhā-yi Mudīriyyat dar Niẓām-i Salāmat (Jun 2018)
Determinants of Stool Sampling Behavior for Cholera Diagnosis of Clients to Health Homes among Health Workers in Taft City Based on the Health Belief Model
Abstract
Background: Stool sampling for cholera diagnosis of clients to health homes has significant effects on provision and maintenance of rural people health if it is done properly and regularly. However, the status of doing this behavior have not addressed in the studies. Therefore, this study aimed to examine determinates of stool sampling behavior for cholera diagnosis of clients to health homes among health workers in Taft city based on the Health Belief Model (HBM). Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 90 health workers of Taft city which entered the study by census in 2016. Date collection tool was a researcher made questionnaire including the subscales of knowledge, susceptibility, severity, perceived benefits and barriers as well as cues to action, self-efficacy, and stool sampling behavior for cholera diagnosis. Its validity was approved by a panel of expert and its reliability was approved by accounting Cronbach alpha in a pilot study (n = 20). Data were analyzed by SPSS 22 and using mean and standard deviation and the relationship between constructs and demographic variables were analyzed by correlation coefficient and regression tests. Results: In this study, 20 % of the participants reported that they always do stool sampling for cholera diagnosis correctly and only 13.3 % reported that they always do sampling for the suspected cases to the disease. The mean score of knowledge, susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, cues to action, self-efficacy were 55.71 ± 9.37 (22-66 possible range), 28.88 ± 3.24 (10-50 possible range), 12.01 ± 1.44 (3-15 possible range), 22.59 ± 5.26 (7-35 possible range), 42.34 ± 9.87 (11-55 possible range), 11.62 ± 2.81 (3-15 possible range) and 45.03 ± 7.54 (10-50 possible range), respectively. The HBM constructs accounted for 14 % of variance in stool sampling behavior which amongst perceived susceptibility (β = 0.271) and cues to action (β = 0.377) were the significant predictors. Conclusion: The knowledge level of health workers in health homes regarding stool sampling for cholera diagnosis was at desirable level; however, the behavior was not so adequate. The Health Belief Model is a relatively suitable framework for promoting the behavior. Continuing and reinforcement of the HBM based programs with emphasizing on cues to action and perceived susceptibility are recommended.
