The effect of educational intervention based on intervention mapping approach on increasing the communication skills...

Considering the high number of community health workers (CHWs) in the world and their essential role in improving community health, empowering them is of particular importance. However, communication skills are one of the most important skills needed by the CHWs. Therefore, the current study was designed and implemented with the aim of determining the effect of educational intervention based on intervention mapping approach on increasing the communication skills of CHWs.

This sequential mixed method study (a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods) was conducted in three phases and during four sub-studies. In the first study, the main competencies for health education in the field of health among CHWs and the obstacles and facilitators in the field of health education were explained qualitatively. In the second study, an initial questionnaire was designed and standardized to measure communication skills. In the third sub-study, a cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the communication skills of 299 CHWs. After designing the educational intervention based on the intervention mapping, in the fourth study, the effect of the educational intervention on increasing the capabilities of CHWs in the field of communication skills was investigated in the form of a randomized controlled trial study among 136 CHWs.

The results of the paired t-test showed that the average scores of knowledge, skills, self-efficacy, attitude, barriers, subjective norms, and behavior of the participants increased significantly in the intervention group six months after the intervention, while there was no significant change in the control group.

The educational program based on intervention mapping increased the communication skills of the participants. Therefore, it is suggested to design and implement educational interventions based on the intervention mapping approach to increase the communication skills of CHWs.