Health Literacy and Health Behaviors (Food, Emotion, Exercise, Smoking, Alcohol Cessation and Teeth) of Monks and Novices in Phrapariyattidhamma School, Nakhon Khon Kaen Metropolitan, Khon Kaen Province

Abstract

This analytical cross-sectional research aimed to study health literacy, health behaviors (food, emotion, exercise, smoking, alcohol cessation and teeth) and relationship between health literacy and health behaviors of monks and novices in Phrapariyattidhamma school Khon Kaen.  Participants were 281 cases drawn from stratified sampling. Data were collected by questionnaire and test with their content validity (IOC) = 0.67 - 1.00. The reliability (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient) of health literacy and health behavior questionnaires were 0.89 and 0.93, respectively, while health literacy test had its reliability (KR-20) = 0.71. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics including frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and also Fisher’s Exact Test.

The results showed that: 1) monks and novices had their literacy of health behaviors in terms of accessing health information and health services, communicating for increasing health expertise, self-management to enhance health, media and information literacy for health promotion and right decision making for behaving were at moderate levels, while understanding about practicing health behavior was at a low level: 2) health behaviors (food, emotion, exercise, smoking, alcohol cessation and teeth) were at moderate levels: and 3) self-management to enhance health had its relationship with health behaviors (food, emotion, exercise, smoking, alcohol cessation and teeth) significantly (p-value = 0.047). The results of this study can be beneficial for education providers, venerable monks and health professions in order to build up health literacy and healthy behaviors in monks and novices.