Managing Communication in Community Health Promotion through Participatory Approaches by Local Government Organizations

Abstract

The purposes of this research article were 1)to study the participatory communication management of community health promotion policies by local administrative organizations; 2) to study the communication management process in participatory community health promotion by local administrative organizations; and 3) to study guidelines for developing participatory communication management in community health promotion by local administrative organizations. This qualitative research involved 52 key informants in four pilot areas: Sai Yoi Subdistrict Municipality, Chonnabot Subdistrict Municipality, Thang Ngam Subdistrict Administrative Organization, and Thung Lan Subdistrict Municipality. Data were collected using structured interviews and focus group discussions. Content analysis was then used to summarize the research findings. The research findings revealed that 1) the participatory communication management of community health promotion policies by sub-district administrative organizations took the form of multi-sectoral network participation, with sub-district administrative organizations acting as central coordinators rather than top-down commanders; 2) the participatory communication management process for community health promotion by local administrative organizations emphasized a recipient-create process and bridging health communication gaps through informal communication; and 3) the guidelines for developing participatory communication management for community health promotion by local administrative organizations focused on strengthening communities and local networks to enhance their awareness of rapidly changing health media.