Effectiveness of a Home Visit Programme by Youth Volunteers on Health-Related Quality of Life and Depression among Elderly Persons: Results from a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial in Rural Thailand
Sarawut Rachasrimuang MA1, Piyathida Kuhirunyaratn PhD2, Sauwanan Bumrerraj MD, PhD2
Affiliation : 1 World Vision Foundation of Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand 2 Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Thailand
Objective : The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of home visits programme by a youth volunteer on the
health-related quality of life and depression among elderly persons living in a rural community.
Materials and Methods : A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in 9 villages of a rural community in the
Northeast of Thailand. Sample size calculation required 154 for intervention and 154 for control. The intervention program
consists of the home visit program by a youth volunteer for 18 weeks, while the control group received conventional care by
their families and children. The study tool was a questionnaire consisting of 3 parts: general information, depression [TGDS]
and health-related quality of life using the Thai version of EQ-5D-5L (EQ-5D VAS and EQ-5D index). Data collection was
conducted by trained interviewers. Statistics used were frequencies, percentages, means, SD, medians, IQR, 95% CIs,
Pearson’s Chi-Squared, and repeated measurement ANCOVA.
Results : The home visit program by youth volunteers had an effect on health related quality of life among elderly persons
living in a rural community in the part of self-health perception in overall health status (EQ-5D VAS) and depression
[TGDS]. This study found the score of EQ-5D VAS among the intervention group was higher than the control (p<0.001) and
found the score of TGDS among the intervention group was lower than the control after intervention. In addition, this study
also found that the EQ-5D VAS score was increased, while the depression score (TGDS) was dramatically decreased among
the intervention groups.
Keywords : Home visit programme, Health-related quality of life, Elderly persons
