Factors Related to Decisions to Use Thai Traditional Medicine Services among the People in Bang Mueang Municipality, Mueang District, Samut Prakan Province

Main Article Content

Rungnapha Thophorm
Araya Prasertchai

Abstract

This study involved factors related to decisions on the use of Thai traditional medicine (TTM) services
by the public; the information would be used in formulating relevant policies and plans to suit people’s needs. It aimed to (1) explore the use of TTM services and (2) determine the relationships between personal characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, TTM service access as well as service use supporting factors and the use of TTM services among the people in the Bang Mueang municipal area, Samut Prakan province. The study was conducted in a sample of 360 TTM service clients who attended the sub-district health promoting hospital in the municipal area and met the inclusion criteria. Data were collected using a questionnaire whose content had been validated by experts and its reliability or Chronbach coefficient was 0.85. Statistics used for data analysis were Chi-square test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The results showed that, among all respondents, personal characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and service accessibility were significantly associated with clients’ TTM service usage, p = 0.05; and supporting factors had a very significantly low level of relationship with the service usage, p = 0.05, with a correlation coefficient of 0.12. The findings is useful for making relevant policies, designing municipal development
plans, promoting and supporting TTM training efforts for local residents, developing TTM service quality at
the municipal public health center in response to people’s needs. This approach will be an option to provide better public health care.

Article Details

Section
Preliminary Report

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