Objective To evaluate the effects of WeChat (a popular instant messaging app in China) on promoting occupational health knowledge among employees in small-sized chemical enterprises.
Methods Workers (n=69) exposed to occupational hazards were selected from 3 small-sized chemical enterprises with similar manufacturing techniques and working conditions in Jiaxing City. Designed interventional messages were pushed to the enrolled workers' cellphone by a WeChat public account for the 6-month intervention from March 2017 (at least four times a month), including one sentence of warning reminder, occupational health lecture courseware, posters, occupational health information, occupational health lessons. The levels of knowledge, attitude, and practice on occupational health were compared before and after the intervention.
Results The knowledge scores of the occupational disease prevention law and occupational health in the intervention group were 5.04±1.32 and 3.43±1.32 before the intervention, and 8.42±1.64 and 7.32±1.67 after the intervention, respectively; the before-and-after differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The occupational health attitude and behavior scores were 3.20±0.81 and 2.93±0.68 before the intervention, and 4.25±0.67 and 4.32±0.78 after the intervention, respectively; the before-and-after differences were also statistically significant (P < 0.05).
Conclusion In small-sized chemical enterprises, WeChat-based occupational health education is important for improving the level of occupational health knowledge, attitude, and behaviors of workers.
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