Abstract
The action research on “Developing Shan Health Communicators in Chiang Mai Province” is a project under the Popular Health Communication System Research and Development (HCS) program, which aims to develop health communication system for disadvantage minorities who have different language and culture from the Thai majority. The target beneficiaries of this research are the Shan migrant workers from Myanmar, working in manual labor sectors in Chiang Mai. Illegal status, hard works in exploitative conditions and the inability to communicate in Thai prevent these migrants to access health information and services. The research project has thus developed Shan health communicators to work on health communication by organizing trainings on concept of health communication, knowledge on health protection and treatment and communication techniques, and supporting health communicators to organize health communication activities namely hosting the health promotion program via the community radios, producing radio drama and organizing public forum in various places. The results from 10 month project implementation (March-December 2008) are 1) Shan health communicators have increased their knowledge on health problems, prevention and treatment and communication skill. 2) Health networks are expanded among the health communicators themselves and between them and government officers, non-government workers, academics whose works relate to the Shan, their health and communication. 3) Health communication systems and mechanism to support health communication among worker migrants have been initially developed especially in setting up training curriculum and process for health communicators and increasing communication channels. To promote health communication among migrant workers, the project recommends that 1) health communicators to work with migrant workers should be increased in both quantity and quality by developing health communication training institute with relevant curriculum and training programs. 2) Education related agencies should increase non-formal education classes for migrant workers to study Thai language and culture. 3) Local governments and religious organizations should play more active role in promoting health among migrant workers. 4) Health communication channels should be expanded and used more efficiently in health promotion. 5) The public campaign to reduce ethnic prejudice and promote the peaceful coexistence between people from different ethnic and religious background is needed to be done.
