Effects of a Household Solid Waste Management Behavior Promotion Program among People in Phato Hospital, Chumphon Province

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study employed a one-group pretest-posttest design. The objectives were to develop a household solid waste management behavior promotion program applying the GREEN & CLEAN Hospital Challenge concept on low carbon and climate change; to compare knowledge, attitudes, and household solid waste management behaviors before and after receiving the program; and to assess residents' satisfaction with the program in the service area of Phato Hospital, Chumphon Province. The study was conducted from May to June 2026 (2 months). The sample consisted of 42 residents in the service area of Phato Hospital, selected by simple random sampling. The research instruments comprised a 5-activity household solid waste management behavior promotion program, a general information questionnaire, a knowledge test, and questionnaires on attitudes, behaviors, and satisfaction. Content validity was confirmed by three experts (overall CVI = 0.92), with reliability coefficients ranging from 0.81 to 0.92. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and pre-post comparisons were performed using the paired t-test.

          The results showed that the developed program consisted of five main activities, namely two educational sessions, one waste separation demonstration and practice session, and two home visits, implemented over five weeks. More than half of the participants were male (54.76%), with a mean age of 42.31±10.30 years; 52.38% were farmers, and 73.81% had no separated waste bins at home. After the program, the mean knowledge score increased from 10.90±2.37 to 12.02±4.24 (out of 20); the mean attitude score increased from 3.00±0.45 to 3.19±0.74; and the mean household solid waste management behavior score increased from 2.30±0.49 to 2.52±0.74, changing from a low to a moderate level. Knowledge and behavior scores increased significantly but with small effect sizes (t = 2.128, p=0.039 and t = 2.070, p=0.045, respectively; Cohen's dz = 0.33 and 0.32), whereas the attitude score did not change significantly (t = 2.010, p=0.051). Overall satisfaction with the program was high (4.15±1.12 out of 5, or 83.00%), with the highest satisfaction in the domain of application in daily life. These findings suggest that a program integrating education, demonstration and hands-on practice using real waste from the community, and home visits with positive reinforcement, may modestly improve residents' knowledge and household solid waste management behaviors and is well accepted by the target group. It may serve as a guideline for health service units in agricultural communities with similar contexts, provided that structural support and longer follow-up are added.