The Effects of the Empowerment Program on Self-Protection Behavior Against PM 2.5 Exposure Among Older Adults in Chiang Mai Province Area
Keywords:
Empowerment program, Self-Protection Behavior Against PM2.5 Exposure, Older AdultsAbstract
This quasi-experimental study with a two-group pre-test post-test and follow-up design aimed to examine the effects of an empowerment program on self-protective behaviors against PM2.5 exposure among older adults in Chiang Mai Province. The study sample comprised 68 purposively selected older adults, who were allocated into an experimental group (n = 34) and a control group (n = 34). The research instruments included: (1) the experimental instrument, which was an empowerment program for self-protection against PM2.5 exposure, and (2) data collection instruments, consisting of a measurement scale assessing selfprotective behaviors against PM2.5 exposure. The data collection instrument demonstrated a reliability coefficient of 0.89. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and repeated measures ANOVA.
The results indicated that self-protective behaviors against PM2.5 among elderly participants increased significantly immediately following program participation and at the 12th week compared with baseline (p < .001). Between-group comparisons further revealed that the experimental group exhibited significantly higher self-protective behaviors against PM2.5 than the control group (p < .001) at both post-intervention assessments. These findings suggest that the empowerment program is effective in enhancing and sustaining self-protective behaviors against PM2.5 exposure among older adults. Accordingly, the program may be considered a viable strategy for health promotion in elderly populations residing in areas affected by air pollution, thereby reducing health risks associated with PM2.5 exposure.
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