Needs and Expectations of Service Recipients in Khon Kaen Province towards The Establishment of a Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic of The Service Demonstration Center Office of Disease Prevention and Control 7th, Khon Kaen Province, fiscal year 2022

Abstract

This research is cross-sectional and descriptive. It aims to study the needs and expectations of service recipients in Khon Kaen Province regarding the establishment of a sexually transmitted disease clinic at the Service Demonstration Center, Office of Disease Prevention and Control 7^th, Khon Kaen Province. The population included individuals aged 15 years and over in the Mueng District, Khon Kaen Province. The sample size for the service recipient group was calculated using mean estimation, resulting in a sample size of 345 individuals. Accidental sampling was employed, specifically selecting supervisors and practitioners involved in STD testing from both public and private hospitals in Khon Kaen Province. This data collection took place between December 1, 2021, and July 31, 2022. Data analysis involved descriptive statistical methods, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, as well as inferential statistics to analyze the relationships between personal attributes and needs and expectations. The statistical correlation coefficient used for this analysis was determined by Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (r_s), with the level of statistical significance set at 0.05.

The study’s results revealed that among the 345 service recipients in Khon Kaen Province who participated in the questionnaire, 58.55% were female, 37.68% were male, and 2.90% identified as TGW (transgender/transgender). Most respondents were in the age range of 25-34 years (21.45%), followed by 15-24 years (20.00%), with a mean age of 38.47 years (S.D.=15.38). The minimum age recorded was 15 years, while the maximum was 82 years. In terms of marital status, 46.09% were single, and 44.35% were married. Regarding education, 56.55% had a bachelor’s degree, followed by bachelor’s degree/equivalent at 28.12%. Employment status varied, with 31.30% employed, 19.42% involved in business/trade, and 16.52% as students. The majority reported incomes in the range of 0-5,000 baht, followed by 10,001–20,000 baht and 5,001–10,000 baht at 28.12%, 26.96%, and 26.09%, respectively. The level of needs and expectations of the service recipients toward the sexually transmitted disease clinic service at the Service Demonstration Center, Office of Disease Prevention and Control 7^th, Khon Kaen Province, was assessed according to the standard of sexually transmitted disease clinic service provided by the Department of Disease Control. In the overall assessment of the two variables, the mean scores were 4.32 (S.D.=0.65) and 4.34 (S.D.=0.62).

Personal characteristics related to the needs of the service recipients in Khon Kaen Province for the sexually transmitted disease clinic service included a low level of education in the same direction, with statistical significance (r_s=0.2129, p-value=0.0001). Income also had a low level of correlation in the same direction, with statistical significance (r_s=0.2920, p-value=0.0000), while occupation had a low level of opposite correlation, with statistical significance (r_s=-0.1630, p-value=0.0024). However, sex, age, and marital status were not found to be related.

Regarding the expectation of the service recipient sample in Khon Kaen Province towards the sexually transmitted disease clinic service, personal characteristics related to this included income, which showed a moderate-level correlation in the same direction, with statistical significance (r_s=0.3252, p-value=0.0000). Age had a low level of inverse relationship, with statistical significance (r_s=0.1544, p-value=0.0040), and the level of education exhibited a low level of correlation in the same direction, with statistical significance (r_s=0.2039, p-value=0.0001). Occupation had a low level of opposite correlation, with statistical significance (r_s=-0.1085, p-value=0.0440). However, sex and marital status were not found to be related.

Recommendations from the research include: 1) Establishing a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases with concrete action. 2) Implementing a training program to educate people about sexually transmitted diseases, including proactive activities in various settings such as communities, schools, and workplaces. 3) Conducting extensive public relations efforts to increase awareness of the clinic’s services through various channels. 4) Ensuring 24-hour consulting services, protection of patient rights, confidentiality, non-discriminatory service, and providing free medical examination services.