Participatory action research for promoting health of older adults in Ban Nong Prathum Community, Lumphli Subdistrict, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province
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Abstract
The Participatory Action Research (PAR) aimed to develop a health promotion model for the elderly in the Nong Prathum community. Participants included 119 elderly members from the Nong Prathum Health Promotion Club, along with community leaders, elderly committee members, village heads, health staff, and local administrative officials. Data were collected from December 2023 to April 2024. Quantitative data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, as well as inferential statistics using the paired t-test. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions and were analyzed using content analysis. The study found that 1) the community participation process in Ban Nong Prathum could systematically develop a model for promoting the health of the elderly through four phases: planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation; 2) the health situation of the elderly in the community had limitations in nutrition and exercise, but showed high mental and social strength, leading to 3) the development of a health promotion model in four areas: nutrition, exercise, mental and social care, and dementia prevention, which received concrete and sustainable cooperation from community network partners. A comparison of ADL scores before and after rehabilitation showed that all elderly groups had a statistically significant increase in ADL scores, especially the bedridden group (p < 0.001), reflecting the effectiveness of the rehabilitation process. The next step is to follow up on the outcomes of the health promotion model and the health status of the elderly within one year to assess its impact and sustainability. Continuous collection of both quantitative and qualitative data will be conducted to improve and expand the implementation to other communities in the future.
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