Public Participation in Solving Drug Problems in a Community in the Southern Border Provinces

Abstract

The objectives of this research were 1) to study public participation in solving drug problems in a community in the southern border province and 2) to compare public participation in solving drug problems in a community classified by gender, age, occupation, education level, income, length of residence in the community and current position. The samples used in this study were people aged 15 years and over, the village headman, the assistant village 1headman, the sub-district medical practitioner, the chairman of the subdistrict council, subdistrict council members, community committees, and village health volunteers (VHVs), totaling 231 respondents. Descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA were used to analyze the data. The study found that public participation in solving narcotic drug problems in the community was moderate, with a mean of 2.58 (SD = 0.81). Comparative results showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in mean public participation scores between groups based on gender, income level, and length of time living in the villages or communities. The suggestions should encourage greater public participation in decision-making and operations, including a summary of the progress of operations. Therefore, the people will be aware of the benefits of participating, and this will create incentives to solve the drug problem sustainably.