THE EFFECTIVE EVALUATION OF DIGITAL REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LITERACY INTERVENTION ON SERVICE COMPETENCIES OF HEALTH PROVIDERS IN ADOLESCENT AND YOUTH HEALTH CLINICS IN THAILAND

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Globally, reproductive health remains concerning due to the insufficient knowledge and understanding among healthcare providers. This knowledge gap also extends to their limited ability to utilize technology for delivering services. The purpose of this research was to find the effectiveness of the Digital Reproductive Health Literacy (DRHL) intervention to enhance service competencies. METHODS: The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were conducted from January to July 2023. The 60 participants aged 20 to 60 working in adolescent and youth clinics were selected through random assignment and 30 were allocated to 12 hours of intervention in 6 modules, consisting of knowledge, digital skills, communication skills, provider attitudes, digital-based services, and networking skills. 30 participants were assigned in the control group. The data were collected using the DRHL scale with a reliability of 0.97, and a discriminant power of 0.2 to 0.8. Data were analyzed using MANCOVA. RESULTS: The results showed that health providers in the experimental group had a significantly higher mean score of DRHL (Mean = 90.83, 80.60) and competencies (Mean 69.60, 62.00) than the control group at after treatment and follow-up (Mean = 93.13, 81.13; Mean= 70.57, 62.97, p < .01). The mean score of the experimental group with DRHL and competencies by domains at follow-up were higher than the mean score before treatment (p < .05). The DRHL intervention effectively enhance the competencies of health providers. CONCLUSION: Human resources specialists or administrators could apply DRHL intervention to promote DRHL and competencies for health providers working in adolescent and youth health clinics.