ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: To achieve stable social development, the cooperation of all members of a -community is basically required. Providing and improving the health standard is one of the most fundamental dimensions of human social evolution. This is more essential than the other aspects of development (public cooperation demands) and health volunteers are the forerunners of this cooperation, who have voluntarily set about having the public participate in providing and elevating the level of community health. The present study aimed to determine the effect of implementing "the health communication plan" by health volunteers in suburban villages regarding the health knowledge and attitude of rural women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this quasi-experimental study, knowledge and attitude of 121 females (age 15-49 years), who were under the supervision of health centers in four suburban villages (the case group), before and after performing the health volunteer plan, were compared to those of 94 females (age 15-49 years) in another group of four suburban villages (the control group) lacking health volunteers under the care service of two rural health centers. Data gathering instrument was questionnaires and interviews. The obtained data were analyzed by SPSS (ver. 11.5) using statistical paired t-test and Sign test. P≤0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS: The study showed that the mean of rural women's health knowledge and attitude had increased and there was a significant difference between before intervention and after intervention values in the two groups (P<0.001). Comparing the averages of the two groups also revealed a significant difference (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: According to the findings and the positive effects of performing suburban health volunteer plan on the health knowledge and attitude of rural women, it would therefore be important to suggest that suburban health volunteers are very helpful and effective in improving the knowledge and attitude level of rural women. In brief; as a direct result of their health performance, performing the plan all over rural health centers is recommended.