Researchers in Sri Lanka tested whether a special training program could help hospital assistants understand health better and make healthier lifestyle choices. They trained 120 hospital workers over 8 weeks using a behavior change program focused on diet, exercise, and avoiding tobacco and smoking. The trained workers showed significant improvements in their health knowledge and made better choices about eating, moving their bodies, and avoiding harmful substances. This suggests that teaching healthcare workers about healthy living not only helps them personally but could also help them teach patients better habits.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether a 16-session training program could improve health knowledge and healthy behaviors among hospital assistants working in government hospitals
  • Who participated: 240 hospital assistants from 20 government hospitals in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Half received the training program, and half served as a comparison group. Participants were mostly younger workers with varying education levels
  • Key finding: Hospital assistants who completed the training program showed much better understanding of health topics (nearly 8 times more likely to have adequate health knowledge) and made significantly better choices about diet, exercise, and avoiding tobacco compared to those who didn’t receive training
  • What it means for you: If you work in healthcare or know someone who does, this suggests that structured training programs can genuinely help people understand and adopt healthier habits. The benefits appear strongest for younger workers. However, this study was done in Sri Lanka, so results may vary in different countries or settings

The Research Details

This was a cluster randomized controlled trial, which is one of the strongest types of research studies. Researchers divided 20 hospitals into two groups: 10 hospitals received the new training program (intervention group) while 10 hospitals continued with normal practices (control group). This approach was chosen because it’s more realistic—entire hospitals get the program rather than randomly assigning individual workers. The training program consisted of 16 sessions spread over 8 weeks, covering topics like healthy eating, physical activity, and avoiding tobacco and smoking. Before and after the program, all participants completed questionnaires measuring their health knowledge and their actual behaviors regarding diet, exercise, and substance use.

Using a cluster randomized design is important because it reflects real-world implementation—hospitals adopt programs as units rather than individual workers being randomly selected. This makes the results more applicable to actual healthcare settings. The 8-week timeframe is long enough to see if behavior changes stick, and measuring both knowledge and actual behaviors shows whether people not only learn but actually change their habits

This study has several strengths: it used a control group for comparison, measured outcomes before and after the intervention, and used statistical methods that account for the hospital clustering. The researchers used validated questionnaires to measure health knowledge and behaviors. However, the study was conducted only in Sri Lanka, so results may not apply equally to other countries. The study doesn’t report how many people dropped out or refused to participate, which could affect the results

What the Results Show

Hospital assistants who received the training showed dramatic improvements in health knowledge. Their health literacy scores increased significantly, and they were nearly 4 times more likely to have adequate health knowledge compared to the control group. These improvements were consistent across different statistical analyses, suggesting the results are reliable. Younger workers (under 35 years old) showed the most improvement, while those with lower education levels had more difficulty achieving adequate health knowledge, even after training. The improvements were measured just 2 weeks after the program ended, so these are relatively immediate effects.

Beyond just knowledge, the trained workers also made better lifestyle choices. They significantly improved their eating habits, increased physical activity, and were much more likely to avoid smokeless tobacco and secondhand smoke exposure. Interestingly, the program was less effective at changing smoking and alcohol use, suggesting these behaviors may need additional or different types of interventions. The fact that behavior changes occurred alongside knowledge improvements suggests the training actually influenced real-world choices, not just test answers

This research builds on previous studies showing that healthcare workers with better health knowledge are more effective at promoting healthy behaviors to patients. This study is one of the first to test a comprehensive behavior change program specifically designed for hospital assistants in South Asia. The results align with global evidence that structured, multi-session training programs are more effective than one-time education sessions. However, the specific behaviors targeted (diet, exercise, tobacco) are particularly relevant to non-communicable diseases, which are growing health problems in Sri Lanka and similar countries

The study only measured outcomes 2 weeks after the program ended, so we don’t know if improvements last longer. The research was conducted only in Sri Lanka’s Colombo district, so results may differ in other countries or rural areas. The study doesn’t explain why smoking and alcohol use didn’t improve as much as other behaviors. We don’t know if the trained workers actually shared their knowledge with patients or if it affected patient health. The study doesn’t report dropout rates or how many people refused to participate, which could bias the results

The Bottom Line

Healthcare organizations should consider implementing similar behavior change training programs for their staff. The evidence is strong (from a well-designed study) that such programs improve health knowledge and several key behaviors. Start with younger workers, as they showed the most improvement. For smoking and alcohol reduction, additional or different strategies may be needed. Confidence level: Moderate to High for knowledge and diet/exercise improvements; Moderate for tobacco avoidance

Hospital administrators and healthcare organizations in South Asia and similar regions should pay attention to this research. Healthcare workers themselves would benefit from this training. Patients may indirectly benefit if their healthcare providers have better health knowledge. This is less directly applicable to the general public unless they work in healthcare settings. People in countries with very different healthcare systems may see different results

Health knowledge improvements appeared within 2 weeks of completing the program. Behavior changes (like eating better and exercising more) also showed up within this timeframe, though some behaviors like smoking reduction were slower to change. To maintain these improvements, ongoing reinforcement or refresher training may be needed, though this study didn’t test that

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track weekly health knowledge quizzes or self-assessments covering the same topics as the training (nutrition facts, exercise guidelines, tobacco risks). Users could complete 2-3 quick questions weekly to reinforce learning and monitor retention
  • If you’re a healthcare worker or using this for professional development, set specific weekly goals: try one new healthy recipe, add 30 minutes of activity 3 times weekly, and track days without tobacco exposure. Use the app to log these behaviors and receive feedback on progress
  • Create a monthly health behavior scorecard tracking diet quality, physical activity minutes, tobacco avoidance, and secondhand smoke exposure. Compare monthly scores to see if improvements from training are maintained over time. Set reminders for quarterly ‘refresher’ learning sessions to prevent knowledge decay

This research shows promising results for a specific training program in Sri Lanka, but individual results may vary based on location, education level, and personal circumstances. This study measured short-term outcomes (2 weeks after training), so long-term effectiveness is unknown. The findings apply primarily to healthcare workers, not the general public. Before implementing similar programs or making major health changes, consult with qualified healthcare providers in your area. This summary is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical advice