Effects of Applying the Health Belief Model Combined with Social Support on Modifying Liver Fluke Prevention Behaviors among Residents of Huai Tai Subdistrict, Khukhan District, Sisaket Province

Abstract

     This quasi-experimental research aimed to examine the effects of applying the Health Belief Model combined with social support on modifying liver fluke disease prevention behaviors among people in Huai Tai Subdistrict, Khukhan District, Sisaket Province. The sample consisted of 60 participants divided equally into two groups of 30 each. The experimental group comprised residents of Huai Tai Subdistrict, Khukhan District, Sisaket Province, while the comparison group comprised residents of Sano Subdistrict, Khukhan District, Sisaket Province. The experimental group received a program based on the application of the Health Belief Model together with social support to modify liver fluke disease prevention behaviors, whereas the comparison group received the routine program provided by the Ministry of Public Health for a period of 12 weeks. Data were collected twice, before and after the intervention, between January 15, 2026 and April 15, 2026, using questionnaires. Differences in mean scores within the experimental and comparison groups were analyzed using paired t-test, while differences between groups were analyzed using independent t-test. Statistical significance was set at the 0.05 level.

     The findings revealed that after the intervention, the experimental group had significantly higher mean scores than before the intervention and significantly higher than the comparison group in attitudes toward liver fluke disease prevention, perceived susceptibility to liver fluke disease, perceived severity of liver fluke disease, perceived benefits of liver fluke disease prevention, perceived barriers to liver fluke disease prevention, social support for liver fluke disease prevention, and liver fluke disease prevention behaviors (p < .05).