Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #115420

Hiroshi Murayama, RN, PHN, BS, Department of Community Health Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan, 81-3-5841-3597, hmurayama-tky@umin.ac.jp, Atsuko Taguchi, RN, PHN, MS, Community Health Nursing, The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Medicine, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyoku Hongo, 7-3-1, Tokyo, Japan, and Sachiyo Murashima, RN, PHN, PhD, Faculty of Medicine, dept of Community Health Nursing, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan.

Purpose: As one of five actions for health promotion in the community, it is critical to "strengthen community action." It is crucial to develop community activities by utilizing human resources, by enhancing the residents' ability for self-help and social-support. Therefore, public health nurses try to foster health promoters and collaborate with them, and work for the community organizations for health promotion. In Japan, health volunteers have been fostered. They are chosen in the community and trained to health promotion members. In order to urge participation of the residents to stimulate the activity of organization, it is necessary to clarify how public health nurses work with them. The purpose of this study is to make clear the relationship between public health nurses and the members of health volunteers. Methods: Self-check questionnaires were mailed to 600 health promotion members who are working in a county of seven towns. The contents of the questionnaires are the relationship between public health nurses and the members, and public health nurses' support. Results: A total of 514 questionnaires were returned. Recovery rate was 85.7%. Forty five percents of the members felt that “public health nurses don't take control over the members” in their activities, and forty three percents of the members felt “they do.” Composed to the latter part of the members, the former part of the members showed the higher score significantly in “sharing the goal of activities with public health nurses,” “exchanging opinions with public health nurses” and “sharing the pleasure and difficulty of the activities with public health nurses.” Discussion: In this survey, the possibility was shown that the members are unable to share the goal of activities with public health nurses under the public health nurses' control. As this may prevent the organization from practical activities, it is important for public health nurses to build collaborative relationship with the members.

Learning Objectives:

• 3. Recognize the condition of the community organization for health promotion in Japan.
  6. Identify the relationship between public health nurses and the community organizations in Japan.
  9. Discuss how public health nurses support the community organizations.

Keywords: Health Promotion, Collaboration

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.