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

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.