The development of a structural equation model of communication factors for health communication of community

Abstract

This research was meant to study (1) the means of communication based on three paradigms of health in successful communities; (2) to analyze the communication factors that lead to the success stories of communities in health communication; and (3) to develop and validate the congruence of the measurement model and the structural equation model of communication factors for health communication of community with empirical data. Research methodology was mixed method separated into 2 phases the following: Phase I: qualitative research method that employed in-depth interview technique for data collection; for this purpose, researcher selected 20 key informants drawn from almost every facet involved in community health communication obtaining highest scores in 2014’s Area and Province-level assessment by Office of Disease Prevention and Control, 1st Area, consisting of (1) Bangyai district, Nonthaburi; (2) Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya; and (3) Nong Sua district, Pathum Thani, and Phase II: quantitative research method that employed close-ended questionnaire for collecting data from 400 respondents who performed in three successful districts. Data analysis conducted by employing Frequency, Percentage, and Standard Deviation in descriptive statistical analysis and Structural Equation Model technique (SEM) in inferential statistical analysis.

Responses revealed that health communication behavior in successful communities still congruently utilized three paradigms of health: Education, Promotion, and Communication. As for communication factors found they corresponded to the Concept of Communication Components consisting of five: (1) public health officers extended their viewpoints toward other sectors to be health communicators and supported participation in health communication operations; (2) variety purposes for exhibiting message conforming to the requirements of locals; (3) integration of various types of media in community; (4) active role of locals in order to be a part of health communicators; and (5) social context based on normal and unusual situations affecting the differences of health behavior expression. In the part of Structural equation model analysis results found: 1) the structural equation model of communication factors in promoting the participatory communication to create health communication behavior of community was in accordance with empirical data according to assumed hypothesis, by passing the determined criteria from 8 indicators, out of 13. The model’s fit indicators were accepted the following: (1) ChiSquare/df = 3.99 (< 5.00), (2) Root Mean Square Residual = 0.032 (< 0.05), and (3) Standard Root Mean Square Residual = 0.039 (< 0.05), (4) Normed Fit Index = 0.98 (> 0.95), (5) Non-normed Fit Index = 0.98 (> 0.95), (6) Comparative Fit Index = 0.98 (> 0.95), (7) Incremental Fit Index = 0.98 (> 0.95), (8) Relative Fit Index = 0.97 (> 0.95). Besides, 2) communication factors variable (COMMUNICATION) had no direct effect on health behavior in community variable (HEALTH BEHAVIOR) but had a positive indirect effect on health behavior in community variable (HEALTH BEHAVIOR) through community satisfaction in regards to acquiring health communication information variable (SATISFACTION), role of personal media in order to be health communication leader in community variable (HEALTH LEADER), and participatory communication in community variable (PARTICIPATION).