THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTH LITERACY MEASUREMENT FOR ELDERLY ACCORD TO THAILAND 4.0

Abstract

          The objectives of this article were to create and study the health literacy measurement of the elderly to support national strategy Thailand 4.0. It’s the mixed methods research. The construction of this Measurement is divided into 2 phases. Phase 1: An analysis and synthesis of health literacy measurements in an issue of 3E 2S (3E 2S means food, exercise, emotion, cigarettes and alcoholic beverages) by experts and stakeholders of Phimonrat Municipality, Nonthaburi province with the sample size of 15 people. Phase 2: the development of a health literacy measurement of the experts. The qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis techniques. The results showed that the health literacy measure was based on the V-shape model in 6 components, namely the abilities or skills in accessing information (25 questions), understanding information (20 questions), retaliation and information exchange (15 questions), decision making (15 questions), change of health behavior (18 questions), and telling others about health information (18 questions). This measurement had the Index of congruence (IOC) at between 0.80 - 1.00, the reliability at between 0.90 - 0.98, and the discrimination (r) index at between 0.40-0.95. Then use the obtained test form to measure health literacy. This phase used the sample of 400 elderlies who were domiciled in the health zone 4 under the Ministry of Public Health. The study indicated that the elderly has health literacy in only one component of abilities or skills in accessing information at a fair level, the five remaining components are at a good level and total components of the health literacy is at a good level. This can be implied that the elderly is pretty good at health practice. As the one who is members of the elderly club is involved in the social activities of the club, it has the effect of increasing the level of health literacy.