COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN HEALTH PROMOTION FOR OLDER PERSONS IN MAE-NON COMMUNTY, NONG PAI SUB-DISTRICT MUEANG DISTRICT, UDON THANI PROVINCE

Abstract

          The Objectives of this research article were to 1) survey and analyze the situations related to health promotion among older persons through participation in Mae Non-community, 2) study the process of health promotion for older persons through participation in Mae Non-community, and 3) study the results of community participation in health promotion among older persons in Mae Non - community, Nong Pai Sub-district, Mueang District, Udon Thani Province. The participants were selected by using purposive sampling, which included 1) 20 members of Ban Mae Non- community, 2) 22 community volunteers who were leaders in the care of older persons in Mae Non-community, and 3) 40 older persons. The research instruments comprised 1) a questionnaire including general information, knowledge of health behavior, a 3A2S principle questionnaire, a practice questionnaire according to health behavior, 3A2S principle, and satisfaction questions towards health promotion activities, 2) focus group discussion guidelines related to health promotion among older persons, and 3) interview guidelines for leaders responsible for the care of older persons. The quantitative data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, median, mean, standard deviation, and Paired Samples t-test. Content analysis was used for analyzing the qualitative data. The results of the study showed that 1) health promotion activities for older persons were unclear and intermittent, especially among those with moderate dependence, 2) the designed activities were driven by community volunteers to educate older persons on health behavior and stimulate the practice of health behavior, 3A2S principle, 3) community volunteers had more knowledge of health behavior, 3A2S principle, after the implementation of the designed activities compared to before joining the process of health promotion for older persons (t = 8.64, p = 0.00). Moreover, older persons have the knowledge and can act according to the principles of 3A2S. Older persons also had the highest overall satisfaction in terms of their participation in the activities ( = 4.84, S.D. = 0.13). Community volunteers were proud and endeavored to pursue their responsibility as a driving force for health promotion among older persons in the Ban Mae Non-community.