Teaching of health with the Meikirch model to indigenous people improves their health-supporting behavior: A pilot study

Abstract

Background: In a number of indigenous villages in Orissa, India, the possibility was explored that teaching of a new definition of health, the Meikirch model, might improve health behavior of inhabitants beyond what can be achieved by ordinary teaching. Methods: For this purpose, teaching about the Meikirch model was given in twenty experimental villages and conventional teaching about health in twenty control villages. Results: After 2½ years, health behavior in the two groups of villages was compared. Improvement of nutrition, wearing of slippers during use of latrines, washing of hands before meals, availability of latrines, childhood vaccination, use of mosquito nets, and attention to mother/child care were much better in experimental than in control villages (all P< 0.001). Yet, in several aspects of the experimental villages, there was room for further improvement. Conclusion: It is concluded that the Meikirch model was understood by the inhabitants of the villages and they improved their health behavior. These preliminary results justify formal studies with larger samples to validate the results and possibly to improve teaching methods.