Health Intelligence and Health Promoting Behaviors and Disease Prevention of the Elderly in Muang District, Phayao Province

Abstract

  The purposes of this study were as follows: 1) to study the level of the elders’ health literacy quotient; and 2) to study the relationship between health literacy and health promotion behaviors and disease prevention. The research was done with 400 elders, both male and female, living in Mueang District, Phayao Province, able to communicate in Thai, and no memory impaired by tested with MMSE (Mini–Mental State Examination). Instrument used in the research were questionnaires and interviews. Statistics used in data analysis included frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The results revealed that the overall level of the elders’ health literacy was moderate. Most behaviors such as self-care behaviors, avoided risk behavior, and take medicine regularly were practiced less than 80%. Based on qualitative data, the samples of health literacy were mostly at the functional health literacy level. Only minority was interactive health literacy and critical health literacy.
   From the findings, suggested that should be set for literacy rates, increasing access to accurate and reliable sources of health information, creating a health literacy policy from childhood, adolescence, adulthood and the elders and establishing education and health promotion department, and preparing media literacy courses, media analysis, media monitor to the population at all levels.