Knowledge and Behavior in Using Household Remedies of Grade 11 Students

Abstract

The objectives of this descriptive research were to study the level of knowledge and behavior in using household remedies, as well as their relationships, by grade 11 students at Phothisamphanphitthayakhan School, Chonburi Province. The data were collected by using a questionnaire administered from 25 January to 28 February 2018. Systematic random sampling method was used for 200 samples. The results revealed that 72.5% of samples were female. The knowledge of the household medicine both in pretest and post-test were in medium level(mean+SD=21.26+2.77 and 23.65+2.72 out of 33 respectively). The household medicine that was used most accurately before and after education was Paracetamol which was used for pain and fever (94% and 96 % respectively). While the least accurate one was “ethyl alcohol which was used for cleaning the wound” (17 % and 29 % respectively). Behavior for using of household medicine was mostly (84%) in a good level(mean+ SD=30.82+3.2 out of 45). The most frequent behavior (89%) was reading the label every time before taking medicine. The least frequent behavior was knowing that if the medicine was expired but still in good condition, they would keep taking them (48%). However, there was low relationship between knowledge and behavior level (r =0.148; p < .05). Therefore, it will be essential to provide appropriate information for the use of household medicine to high school students as it will build up better primary health care for themselves and their families.