JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Currently, remote areas face problems accessing health services. Although emergency medical systems have a policy of pushing more rapid response units into these communities, they still have not covered many areas due to the distance and the lack of a specific system that fits the community context. The resulting delays to medical treatment after accidents and emergency illnesses in these areas thus increase the risk of severe symptoms, disability, and subsequent death.

Objective:

This study examines the effectiveness of a community-based enhancement program for emergency assistance and marine patient transfer coordination among community health volunteers (CHVs) on Phaluay Island, southern Thailand.

Methods:

This quasi-experimental study followed a one-group pre-/post-test design. The research sample consisted of 30 CHVs selected through non-random purposive sampling. The research instruments were demographic questionnaires, knowledge and skill measures of emergency assistance, and a competency assessment of marine patient transfer coordination. The data analysis employed descriptive statistics, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the Bonferroni test, with statistical significance set at p < .05.

Results:

The results revealed that the average scores on emergency assistance and marine patient transfer coordination knowledge were significantly higher (P < .001) after training compared to before, specifically at weeks 1 and 30. The average scores on emergency assistance and marine patient transfer coordination skills in weeks 1 and 30 in the CHVs were significantly higher (P < .001). The CHVs' mean scores for emergency assistance and marine patient transfer coordination competency before (at week 1) and after training (at week 30) were significantly higher (P < .001).

Conclusions:

This research suggests that there is a need for policy advocacy by relevant agencies to further develop CHV competencies, which require continuous stimulation, monitoring, and reskilling to prepare these volunteers and other community members to respond effectively to emergencies in remote areas.