Model of Enhancing Health Literacy in Using Cannabis Products for Medical Purposes by the Huai Rong Community’s Participation, Khao Yoi District, Phetchaburi Province

Abstract

          This participatory action research aimed to develop and evaluate the model of enhancing health literacy in using cannabis products for medical purposes by the Huai Rong Community’s participation in Khao Yoi District, Phetchaburi province. Fifty-one people were selected by using the purposive sampling method, which included 29people who asked for counsel or expressed the need to use cannabis for medical purposes and who had used cannabis or cannabis extract products for medical purposes in the responsible areas of Huai Rong Health Promoting Hospital. Along with 22 people from community networks, which were the village chief, village headman, representative of Huai Rong Sub-district Administrative Organization, staff from Huai Rong Health Promoting Hospital, and village health volunteers from Thai Medical and Alternative Medicine Department at Huai Rong Hospital. Research tools were interview, questionnaire, and observation forms. The research methodology involved five phases: 1) systematic experience management to determine problems, needs, and guidelines for enhancing health literacy in using cannabis for medical purposes, 2) analysis of the method and feasibility of using guidelines for enhancing health literacy, 3) feedback for evaluating the designed guidelines, 4) implementation of the designed guidelines, and 5) systematic learning via evaluation. Quantitative data were analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation, mean comparison, and the Wilcoxon test. Qualitative data were analyzed using Typological analysis.

          The research results showed that the model of enhancing health literacy in using cannabis products for medical purposes by the Huai Rong Community included five main components: 1) fostering communication and cooperation among network partners, 2) setting up a variety of channels for information dissemination, 3) developing potential of role models to health communicate, 4) creating instructional materials, and 5) developing activities to enhance health literacy. When testing the effect of using the developed model, the findings illustrated that the role models of health communication after the potential enhancement had the knowledge and more access to reliable data about using cannabis products for medical purposes. In addition, after participating in the activity, participants had increased health literacy in using cannabis products for medical purposes. Additionally, activities promoted awareness and selection skills. They supported the decision-making to use cannabis products for medical purposes. The model could be applied to enhance health literacy in using cannabis products for medical purposes in other regions and used for enhancing the potential of the community via participation, which helped people to develop skills in each component of health literacy in using cannabis products for medical purposes appropriately to prevent risks and impact of using cannabis products for medical purposes at the individual, family, and community level.