Health Literacy and Factors Associated with Need to Cannabis for Medical Use of the Diabetic Patients in Kap Choeng District, Surin Province

Abstract

Cannabis as medical use, that is an alternative treatment and care, is more interested for public health team and diabetic patients. To enhancing cannabis as suitable medical use, health literacy (HL) about cannabis as medical use for the diabetic patients should be developed to match the local area. The study was research and development (R & D). The purposes of the study included three points: 1) studying the situation and HL; 2) developing promotion of the HL model about cannabis as medical use for diabetic patients; 3) studying the effective of the model at Kap Choeng district, Surin province. The study was divided into four steps. The first step included analysis of situation and HL for cannabis use as medication. The samples were 327 diabetic patients using the HL questionnaire. The second step was the development of the HL promotion model about cannabis as medical use approved by five experts. The third step was the experiment of using the model. The last step was evaluation and improvement of the model. The sample group consisted of 30 public health officers and related persons with in-depth interviews. The data was analyzed by descriptive analysis and paired t-test. The results showed three parts. Firstly, more than half of the samples had the poor level of HL about cannabis as medical use (64.22%) and need of using cannabis as medical use (59.94%). Secondly, the development of promoting a HL model about cannabis as medical use for diabetic patients consisted of four main processes: 1) an analysis of causes of HL and behavior about cannabis as medical use; 2) enhancing knowledge and awareness about HL; 3) enhancing the participation of network partners; and 4) knowledge management for the development. Lastly, comparing before and after using the model, mean scores of HL and behavior about cannabis as medical use for the diabetic patients increased and were significant. The findings suggested that the model supported HL and behavior using cannabis as medication among diabetic patients.