Thai Journal of Health Education

Prevalence of E-Cigarette Use and Factors Associated with E-Cigarette Smoking Behaviors among Upper Secondary School Students in Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province

Jariya Nisangkard, Natnapa Heebkaew Padchasuwan — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0700

The use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) among Thai adolescents has been rapidly increasing, while misconceptions regarding their harmful effects persist. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of e-cigarette use and identify factors associated with such behavior, in order to provide evidence for public health policy and the development of prevention programs for adolescents. A cross-sectional analytic study was conducted among 330 upper secondary school students in Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, in July 2025. Data were collected using a validated online questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to determine associated factors, and the results were reported using Adjusted Odds Ratios (AORs), 95% Confidence Intervals (95% CI), and p-values.

The prevalence of e-cigarette use was 23.94%. Significant factors included parental occupation: students whose parents worked as daily laborers (AOR = 18.22; 95% CI: 2.03–163.47) or owned private businesses (AOR = 16.30; 95% CI: 1.43–185.29) were more likely to use e-cigarettes compared to those whose parents were government officers. Regarding attitudes, students with moderate (AOR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.19–0.83) and high attitudes (AOR = 0.18; 95% CI: 0.06–0.49) were less likely to use e-cigarettes than those with low attitudes. Social influences also played a role: indirect media exposure (AOR = 0.41; 95% CI: 0.21–0.51), having peers who smoked (AOR = 2.92; 95% CI: 1.25–6.83), and having family members who smoked (AOR = 10.24; 95% CI: 4.53–23.17) significantly affected e-cigarette use.

In conclusion, the prevalence of e-cigarette use among students in this study was higher than the national average (16.5% in 2024). Family background, attitudes, and social influences were key determinants of e-cigarette use. These findings provide essential evidence to support school-based health promotion, strengthen family engagement, and inform policies to regulate adolescent access to e-cigarettes effectively.

Effects of Health Literacy Promotion Program on Self-Care Behavior and HbA1c Level in Patients with Uncontrolled Type 2 Diabetes People Receiving Services at the Chronic Disease Clinic, Kukaeo Hospital, KuKaeo District, UdonThani Province

Sakuntara Phalee — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This quasi-experimental study employed a one-group pretest-posttest design to examine the effects of a health literacy promotion program on self-care behaviors and HbA1c levels among patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus attending the chronic disease clinic at Gu Kaew Hospital, Udon Thani Province. A total of 30 participants were recruited through consecutive sampling and participated in six program sessions over a 10-week period, with outcomes assessed at week 12. Research instruments included questionnaires on personal data, health literacy, self-care behavior, and records of HbA1C levels. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-tests at a significance level of 0.05.

The results showed that after participating in the program, participants had significantly higher overall and domain-specific health literacy scores, improved self-care behavior scores, and a statistically significant reduction in HbA1c levels from 11.43 ± 2.71% to 8.53 ± 1.45%, percentage a 2.90% decrease (95%CI = 2.29, 3.49; p-value < 0.001).

The program successfully enhanced participants’ health literacy, leading to improved self-care behaviors and better glycemic control. It is recommended that the program be implemented in similar settings to strengthen care systems for patients with type 2 diabetes.

Factors Correlated with COVID-19 Booster Vaccination Uptake among Parents of Children Aged 5-11 Years in Udon Thani Province

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0700

The analytical cross-sectional study aimed to examine the baseline characteristics, level of knowledge and health belief model, the COVID-19 booster vaccination uptake among the parents of children aged 5-11 years in Udon Thani province, and its correlation. A total of 382 parents were selected using a multistage random sampling, with the sample size determined by the Krejcie and Morgan table. Data were collected from October 2022 to April 2023 using a questionnaire that included sections on baseline characteristics, COVID-19 knowledge, the health belief model, and booster vaccination status. Baseline characteristics, knowledge, and HBM levels were analyzed using descriptive statistics, presented as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Simple and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with COVID-19 booster vaccination uptake.

The findings revealed that only 19.90% of parents had received a booster vaccine. The majority (62.04%) were female, with a mean age of 38.92 ± 10.35 years. Most parents showed high levels of COVID-19 knowledge and perceived severity; but also reported high levels of perceived barriers. Multivariable logistic regression identified gender (AOR=1.88: 95%CI=1.07- 3.31: p-value=0.022) and perceived severity (AOR=1.93: 95%CI=1.03-3.65: p-value=0.031) as statistically significant factors associated with COVID-19 booster vaccination uptake. The study suggests that health communication strategies should target male parents and emphasize the severity of COVID-19 to improve vaccine uptake and promote COVID-19 booster vaccine.