Developing a Participatory Learning Model for Adjusting Health Behaviors of the Elderly

Abstract

The purposes of this research and development study were 1) to analyze health status and health behaviors of the elderly, 2) to develop participatory learning model for changing the elderly health behaviors, and 3) to compare the health behaviors of the elderly, before and after participating participatory learning model for changing the elderly health behaviors. The study conducted between May-August, 2018. Qualitative data collection was using in-depth interviews, focus group discussion, and Appreciation Influence Control (AIC) technique.  Quantitative data collection was using health behaviors questionnaire which consists of 7 dimension including eating behaviors, physical activity, health responsibility, stress management, spiritual growth, interpersonal relationship, and environment. Quantitative data analysis using percentage, means, standard deviation and paired t-test.

         In qualitative study, the results found that 1) Eating behavior in the elderly, most of them eat food cooked by themselves. 2) Exercise activities in the elderly are not appropriate and 3) the elderly were not aware of chronic non-communicable diseases and health education is rarely recognized.In quantitative study, 315 elderly in Na siao Sub-district, Muang District Chaiyaphom, Thailand were surveyed, the result found that after participated in participatory learning model for changing the elderly health behaviors, the mean scores of  health behaviors (=3.92, S.D.=0.48) was higher than before (=3.90, S.D.=0.50) with statistical significance at 0.05.

In this study, the model participatory learning model for changing the elderly health behaviors consisted of 3 activities included 1) education, demonstration, and providing information to raise awareness of health behaviors, 2) home visiting to monitor and evaluate elderly health behaviors and 3) community network of the elderly for raising health behaviors awareness.