Factors Related to Desirable Health Behaviors of Monks in Phitsanulok Province

Abstract

This cross-sectional survey research aimed to study: 1) the desirable health behaviors of monks and 2) the relationships between age groups, years in the monkhood, Body Mass Index (BMI), abdominal obesity, and the presence of health volunteer monks (Phra Khilanuphatthak) and the desirable health behaviors of monks in Phitsanulok Province. Sample consisted of 1,108 monks with complete health behavior records. Research instrument was the Health Temple system developed by the Department of Health, which includes personal information questionnaires and desirable health behavior assessments. Data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, and Chi-square test for relationship analyses.

The results of the study showed that 1) only 11.0 percent of the samples exhibited desirable health behaviors across all seven dimensions, which included dental/oral care, adequate sleep, physical activity, drinking plain water, reducing/avoiding sugar-sweetened beverages, consuming fresh fruits and vegetables, and refraining from smoking or tobacco use. The highest-rated behavior was dental care (89.7%), while the lowest-rated behavior was reducing or avoiding sugar-sweetened beverages (45.0%); and 2) The factor significantly related to desirable health behaviors among the samples was the number of years in the monkhood (p<0.05). Consequently, relevant agencies should prioritize in enhancing health literacy regarding appropriate behaviors to reduce the risks of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the future and encourage community participations in social activities to improve the overall health and well-being of monks.