A MODEL A MODEL OF HEALTH PROMOTION FOR THE ELDERLY WITH LOCAL WISDOM IN THE THA-MUANG SUBDISTRICT COMMUNITY, SELAPHUM DISTRICT, ROI ET

Abstract

Thailand is growing to being an ageing society.  In 2021, 19.21% of adults were 60 years old or older, while 14.1% were 65 years old or older. The survey in Ban Thamuang revealed that numerous elderly individuals experience discomfort and that residents frequently utilize herbal treatments for relief these symptoms. The research team undertook an action research project to develop a health-promotion model for older adults based on Thai traditional wisdom and to evaluate the effectiveness of this model. This action research included 50 elderly participants and 32 village health volunteers. The research instrument is a self-administered questionnaire including a pain scale, a knowledge assessment, and a satisfaction questionnaire. We utilized descriptive statistics and inferential statistics in term of paired t-tests.

                In the first cycle, we constructed a health-promotion model using the herbal pain-relief product. However, inadequate regarding pain management had existed. As a result, a buddy-learning approach was used in the second cycle. After receiving interventions, participants reported statistically significant reduction in discomfort (mean difference = 0.59; 95% CI: 0.57-0.60; p-value  0.001) and increased their knowledge (mean difference=18.17; 95% CI: 17.72-18.62; p-value <0.001). In addition, participants reported the highest level of satisfaction (mean = 4.80, SD = 1.43). Hence, the model would prove that it could assist older people in staying healthy in their communities.

               As a result, the use of herbal medicine and the health-promotion strategy must be expanded to further communities, and further efficacy evaluations should be conducted among older individuals experiencing pain in diverse situations.