Development of Consumer Protection Operational Guidelines for Health Products in Ban Ta Ko Subdistrict Community, Huai Rat District, Buri Ram Province by the Network of Home, Temple, School, and Subdistrict Health Promoting Hospital.

Abstract

This study employed an action research design to develop operational approaches for consumer protection in health products within Ban Tako Sub-district, Huai Rat District, Buriram Province, through the community-based network of “Baworn-R” (home, temple, school, and sub-district health-promoting hospitals). The sample consisted of 121 participants, studied from October 2024 to September 2025. Research instruments included a structured questionnaire assessing knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to consumer protection in health products. The questionnaire was validated by three experts, with all items achieving a content validity index greater than 0.50 and a reliability coefficient of 0.92. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were employed to collect qualitative data. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics with the paired-sample t-test at a significance level of 0.05. Qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. The development of the operational model followed six steps: (1) stakeholder meetings and coordination; (2) assessment of the community context and health product-related consumer protection issues; (3) collaborative problem-solving and action plan development; (4) implementation of five planned activities; (5) support, monitoring, and supervision; and (6) lesson learned, knowledge sharing, and reflection. Findings revealed that after the intervention, participants demonstrated significantly higher mean scores for knowledge (16.69±2.19), attitudes (42.06±6.52), and practices (42.19±6.11) compared to pre-intervention scores (p<0.05). The community’s consumer protection roles evolved into establishing community regulations, and no illegal health products were found in the area after the development process. Importantly, the research led to the formulation of a community-based operational model for consumer protection in health products, termed the TAKO Model.