Decision Making on the Utilization of Thai Traditional Medicine in General Hospital, Ratchaburi Province

Abstract

This cross-sectional research aimed to evaluate the prevalence of decision making on the utilization of Thai traditional medicine and to determine the relationship between personal characteristics, cues to action, perceived service quality, and access to the Thai traditional medical service with decision making on the utilization of Thai traditional medicine. The samples were 425 clients receiving services at Damnoen Saduak Hospital, Ratchaburi Province. The research instrument was a five-part interview which composed of personal characteristics, cues to action, perceived service quality with the reliability of .91, access to the Thai traditional medical service, and decision making on the utilization of Thai traditional medicine. Data were collected from July 29 to September 30, 2015. Statistics used for data analysis included frequency, percentage, median, and multiple logistic regression analysis.

The research results revealed that 35.30% of the samples had used the Thai traditional medical service and had cues to action, perceived service quality, and access to Thai traditional medical service at a moderate level of 46.10%, 62.80%, and 47.10%, respectively. Factors statistically significant influencing decision making on utilization of Thai traditional medicine included perception of Thai traditional medicine (Adj. OR = 2.96, 95% CI = 1.09-8.04), good level of cues to action (Adj. OR = 4.23, 95% CI = 2.51- 7.12), good level of perceived service quality (Adj. OR = 4.09, 95% CI = 2.33-7.15), and good level of access to the Thai traditional medical service (Adj. OR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.32-3.55).

This research suggested that health care agency should promote public relations to provide information about Thai traditional medicine in order to raise people’s perception, understanding, and awareness in benefits of service. Additionally, it should also encourage the clients who have used the service to recommend the service to others in order to raise decision making on the utilization of Thai traditional medicine.