School Children as Health Agent: An Explorative Study on Peers’ Perspectives

Abstract

Introduction: School based programme known as 'Doktor Muda' was established to empower school children using their knowledge and health skills to achieve better health status. ''Doktor Muda'' (DM) is a group involved a selection of trained school children that met certain criteria as peer educators in order to influence their peers' attitude and health practices. Methodology:A cross sectional study was carried out from March 2014 to January 2015. Qualitative data were collected by Focus Group Discussion (FGD) to identify peers perspective towards DM as a health promotion agent using a semi structured open ended questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed according to the relevant themes that identify the abilty of DM to influence their peers' attitude and health practices. Results:The findings showed that majority of participants admitted positive response towards information given by DM in their behavioural beliefs towards health. Majority of the participants agreed DM has succeeded in changing their attitudes toward the importance of health involving were participants' concern on health. However, some of the participants claimed negative response showed by the peers during dissemination of information by DM and participants' observations. Verification from the feedback groups regarding individual who influence their personal hygiene practice revealed 45.5% by their ownself, 36.4% by their parents/family and 36.4% by DM respectively. Conclusions:This study has succeeded in exploring peers' perspectives on the efficacy of DM as health promotion agent. Strengthening in positive beliefs among peers towards health, influencing positive attitudes to accentuate health and encouraging health practices at a moderate level were established in this study.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Peer Education Program on Health Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices

“…In making sure that the necessary health knowledge is properly delivered to the schoolchildren and being translated into attitude and practice, attention should be given on the dissemination of the health messages from the members of KDM to the peers to further improve the program. The discouraging results of knowledge, attitude and practice findings of SKDM in this study could be due to the low confidence in delivering the health messages by DM to the peers (Pises, Ha, Sm, S, & Suriya, 2012) and also the lack of interest by peers in learning on health, subsequently resulting to the poor feedback (Suraiya et al, 2017) (Muhamad et al, 2017). The magnitude of the difference was found to be small and could also be due to multiple factors such as the accessibility of health knowledge to the school children via multiple sources of health information (Al-darwish, 2015) and existing school programs besides the KDM (Christian et al, 2015).…”

“…In Malaysia, a similar peer-led teaching program has been implemented since 1989. Kelab Doktor Muda (KDM), which translates as Young Doctors Club involves a selection of schoolchildren who were trained as peer educators (Doktor Muda) (Suraiya, Pises, Faizal, Shahnaz, & Nor Asiah, 2017). This program aims to produce a group of schoolchildren as an agent for promoting good health to their peers, family members and community (Ali et al, 2018).…”

Development of Assessment Tool to Measure Children’s Knowledge on Dengue Prevention Activities in Malaysia

“…Items development was adapted from the National Health Morbidity Survey 2015 [16] and the Young Doctor Club Module under the dengue prevention submodule. is program was introduced by the Ministry of Health Malaysia in 1989 as a school-based health promotion program for primary school children to equip them with knowledge and skills to improve their health status [17].…”