Abstract
This research aims to develop the village health volunteers (VHVs) and community participation for prevention and surveillance of Covid19 infection by using the geographic information system (GIS) to the policy option for promoting the VHV’s role in strengthening community on Covid19 screening. The participatory action research was introduced to study in 2 districts in Nakhon sawan province and divided into 2 phases: 1) A model development for promoting the VHVs and community involvement on prevention and surveillance of the Covid19 by using the GIS and 2) Evaluation the model effectiveness and synthesis the policy options. Samples were community dwellers, VHVs, health personnel in subdistrict health promotion hospital (SDHPC) or primary care unit (PCU), subdistrict health boards (SDHB), provincial health administrators, and academic officers. Tools were questionnaires, interview guidelines, focus group guidelines, and GIS. Data analysis employed content analysis for qualitative data and percent, mean, and standard deviation for quantitative data. The results show that: 1) the model of VHV and community involvement for prevention and surveillance of the Covid19 infection was composed of the method of promoting the VHV and community involvement and the activities of prevention and surveillance the Covid19. 2) The GIS as a tool for prevention and surveillance of the Covid19 infection called “EpiScanCovid19”. It worked on the internet and composed of 2 application: Mini application on a smartphone (for VHV collect data, analyze the individual risk, health education, and situation report) and Web application on the computer (for health personnel or health board review the risk situation and monitor the VHV’s work). 3) the effectiveness showed VHVs perceived the risks, educated their community member, timely report events to SDHPC or PCU, and health personnel frequently monitor the VHV activity. They were satisfied with the application at a good level and over about 85%. The outcomes were early detection of the contact cases and rapid control of the spread. 4) the policy options were promoting the VHV and community involvement for active surveillance by using EpiScanCovid19 application, training for building the data management capacity of health personnel, providing the specific area or local quarantine, and supporting the expenditure of community-based surveillance and disease prevention by using this application especially the internet charge. Community-based surveillance and prevention by using the EpiScanCovid19 application were necessary interventions on waning the Covid19 infection spread. It was a health services and their network challenge for promoting the continuing and suggesting for applications in all areas or especially pandemic area. It is a good opportunity for people if this model is applied for non-communicable diseases or other infectious diseases.
