Factors Related to the Use of Thai Traditional Medicine to Promote Self-care Among Patients with Diabetes

Abstract

        Objective:  To examine the uses of Thai traditional medicine and factors related to the uses of Thai traditional medicine to promote self-care among diabetic patients.

        Method:  This descriptive study used convenience sampling to recruit 400 patients who attended diabetic clinics at Out-patient Department and Primary Care Units of Sawanpracharak Hospital. A questionnaire was used to gather the data. Content validity of the questionnaire was examined by the experts. KR-21 was used to test validity of the questionnaire about predisposing factors in the part of knowledge about the use of Thai traditional medicine to promote self-care (R= 0.77). Cronbach’s alpha was used to test a reliability of the questionnaire about predisposing factors (attitude towards the use of Thai traditional medicine and perceived benefits of using Thai traditional medicine to promote self-care), Enabling factors (accessibility of Thai traditional medicine services), and Reinforcing factors (receipt of health information from many different kinds of media

and social support). The alpha coefficient were .83, .82, .73, .82, and .73 respectively. Frequency, percentage, and multiple correlation were selected to analyse the data.

        Result: The study demonstrated the use of Thai traditional medicine among diabetic patients was at a high level (66.5%). Body massage was used most (63.8%). Predisposing factors were knowledge, attitude, and perceived benefits of the use of Thai traditional medicine. Enabling factors was accessibility of Thai traditional medicine services. Reinforcing factors were receipt of health information from many different kinds of media and social support. Predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors were significantly related to participants’ uses of Thai traditional medicine to promote their self-care (p=0.01). Social support was the most important factor affecting uses of Thai traditional medicine to promote participants’ self-care (r=.34, p=.01). The other important factor affecting the uses of Thai traditional medicine to promote participants’ self-care was attitude (r=.31, p=.01). Thus, it is necessary to promote positive attitude towards the use of Thai traditional medicine and good social support from families, friends, and healthcare professionals.