Ranga SABHAPATHİGE, Dilrukshi DEERASİNGHE

Knowledge, attitudes, and skills among primary health care workers in developing health promotion settings in a district of Sri Lanka

Healthy sitting is defined as a place or social context in which people engage in daily activities in which environmental, organizational, and personal factors interact to affect health and wellbeing. This study was conducted to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of primary health care workers in establishing health promotion settings in the Kalutara district, Sri Lanka. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. A structured, pre-tested, and self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from study participants. The data were analyzed by using statistical tests and Chi-square values. A majority (215, 70.0%) had 'poor' knowledge. The knowledge was significantly associated with educational level GCE A/L or higher (P±0.012) and ability to read English (P±0.021). Public health experience of PHMM less than 5years was significantly associated with knowledge (P±0.002). The level of attitudes was good (204, 69.4%). The level of knowledge was significantly associated with the level of attitudes (P ± 0.004). Only 25.1% (77) had adequate skills. The level of skills was significantly associated with the existence of health promotional settings in their fields (P ± 0.000). Availability of healthy settings in the fields of PHMM with the extent of field areas less than the mean (P ± 0.017) was significantly associated. The present study concluded that PHCW had 'poor' knowledge and skills in health promotional setting while their attitudes were found to be 'good'. Lack of time and inadequate training in the field of health promotion were identified as the commonest barriers.

Keywords:

Health promotion settings, primary health care workers, Knowledge attitudes, skills,

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