2008 Volume 16 Issue 3 Pages 78-93
Purpose: The purposes of this study were 1) to grasp a general picture of the health promoters' selfreliant attitude and behavior toward their activities to develop an assessment index of the acquiring process of self-reliant attitude and behavior, and 2) to make a comparative study on the process among health promoters with different backgrounds by using the assessment index.
Method: We first interviewed 14 health promoters about the current status of their activities and their changing awareness toward them. Based on the interview, a questionnaire concerning the health promoters' acquiring process of self-reliant attitude and behavior was formed. The questionnaire was used for a survey that was conducted for 354 health promoters. The survey findings were further utilized to develop an ‘assessment index of the health promoters’ acquiring process of self-reliant attitude and behavior.’ Using the index, we studied how the health promoters’ different backgrounds were reflected on their acquiring process of self-reliant attitude and behavior toward their activities.
Results: The questionnaire was distributed to 354 health promoters, of whom 226 replied to the survey, the returning rates being 63.8%. As a result of the factor analysis, the questionnaire was rearranged to include 39 items in total which were further classified into the following 5 factors: 1) organizational development as community organizations/groups engaged in health promotion, 2) personal development as health promoters, 3) expanded network of human relationship, 4) improved connection between health promoters' activities and their personal lives, and 5) enhancement of health promoters' community-oriented attitudes. We call these 5 factors comprising 39 question items, the ‘assessment index of the health promoters' acquiring process of self-reliant attitude and behavior.' Since the index proved to be reliable and valid enough, it was used to make a comparative study in A city on the acquiring process of selfreliant attitude and behavior among health promoters with different backgrounds. The following observations were obtained from the comparison: 1) the experienced health promoters showed a higher score of the assessment index than the newcomers, 2) health promoters' attitudes in general seemed still passive, and community groups were not effectively interrelated with each other, and 3) the leaders of community groups tended to have more selfreliant attitude and behavior.
Conclusion: The index consisted of 5 factors and 39 items was developed to assess the acquiring process of health promoters' self-reliant attitude and behavior. The index proved to have sufficient reliability and validity. A comparative study using the index found that the experienced health promoters and leaders of community groups showed a higher score of the assessment index than the newcomers, and that the community groups were not effectively interrelated with each other.
