Effects of Elderly School Attendance on Health Literacy and Depression: A Case Study of Elderly School in Phitsanulok Province

Abstract

This descriptive study aimed to compare the level of health literacy (HL) and depression between the elderly who participated in an elderly school (Elderly school group) and those in the community who did not (Community group). Each group included 40 elderly individuals with non-communicable diseases. Data were collected between December, 2021 and March, 2022 using an HL questionnaire for diabetes and hypertension and the Thai version of the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (TGDS-15) to assess HL and depression, respectively. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the data. Chi-square tests was conducted to compare the difference in HL and depression levels. The study found that, there were no significant differences in overall HL level between Elderly school group and Community group. However, the HL enlightenment level among the Elderly School Group were statistically significant higher (p-value=0.007) when accessing or seeking health information compared to the Community Group. There were no significant differences in depression between the two groups. This study highlights the potential of elderly school participation, particularly for enhancing health literacy regarding access or seek to health information among the elderly.  These results can serve as a valuable guide for local organizations, particularly those focused on enhancing the capabilities of the elderly, in supporting relevant activities in future contexts.