A Model for Environmental Health Management to Enhance the Quality of Life of Inmates in Thailand's Prisons: A Future-Oriented Approach

Abstract

This study employed the Ethnographic Delphi Futures Research (EDFR) methodology to develop a model for environmental health management, with the aim of enhancing the quality of life for inmates in Thailand’s correctional facilities. The research was conducted in three phases. Phases one and two involved in-depth interviews with 24 experts in quality of life development. Data were analyzed using frequency, median, mode, interquartile range, and the disparity between median and mode to identify the most probable future scenarios. A preliminary model was then constructed based on these findings. In phase three, a panel of 14 newly selected experts in environmental health convened to evaluate and refine the model through a structured seminar. Their feedback informed the final design of a practical and implementable framework.

The resulting model comprises eight key components: (1) standards for environmental health service quality in prisons; (2) environmental health management practices to improve inmates’ quality of life; (3) enhancement of public administration quality; (4) identification and management of health-impacting factors; (5) institutional support mechanisms; (6) environmental health literacy; (7) stakeholder participation; and (8) challenges, constraints, and integrative recommendations.

This study highlights the necessity of aligning prison environmental management with food sanitation, water quality control, waste and sewage management, occupational health and safety education, healthcare service development, and medical treatment. The proposed model provides a strategic framework for achieving equitable, safe, and standardized health conditions for incarcerated populations in Thailand.