The influenza vaccine is recommended in older population. However the immunization coverage varies globally. It has been reported as low as 10–20 % in some countries. This study explored the acceptance of and willingness to pay for influenza vaccination, comparing acceptance and willingness to pay before and after health education. The study was conducted with 2693 older people in Bangkok, Thailand. Participants were divided into an education group (n = 1402) and a control group (n = 1291). A validated questionnaire measuring acceptance of and willingness to pay for vaccination was administered during semi-structured interviews before and after education. Data on factors influencing acceptance were analyzed. Participants’ mean age was 69.5 years, 80 % were women and 82.1 % had at least one co-morbidity. Of the participants, 43.5 % had previously received vaccination more than once, although 92.8 % expressed acceptance of vaccination. Acceptance was associated with a positive attitude toward vaccination (OR 2.1, 95 % CI 1.5–2.9) and a history of receiving vaccination (OR 4.1, 95 % CI 2.8–6.1). At baseline, there were no differences between the education and control groups in terms of work status (p = 0.457), co-morbidities (p = 0.07), medical status (p = 0.243), and previous vaccination (p = 0.62), except for educational background (p = 0.004). Acceptance of vaccination increased to 95.8 % (p < 0.001) after education and willingness to pay increased to 82.1 % (p < 0.001). Education significantly affected those with primary school-level education and no previous vaccination history, with acceptance increasing from 83.3 to 92.6 % (p < 0.001); more than twice as high as the control group (OR 2.4, 95 % CI 1.2–4.7). Viewing an educational video increased the proportion of participants with a high level of knowledge from 29.2 to 49.2 % (p < 0.001), and increased the proportion of participants with a positive attitude from 52.4 to 70.7 % (p <0.001). No significant difference was found in any parameter between the first and second assessment in the control group. The strategies to increase positive attitudes may enhance the acceptance of vaccination. Health education using an educational video demonstrated a significant impact on acceptance, willingness to pay, knowledge and attitude in older people. This may lead to increased sustainability of the immunization program in older people.

Background: Pesticide poisoning is a major public health problem in Thailand and is the result of intensive inappropriate and unsafe use of pesticides. This analytical cross-sectional study aimed to determine the factors affecting safe pesticide-use behaviors among farm plant agriculturists in northeastern Thailand. Methods: The study sample included 427 farm plant agriculturists in Loei Province, northeastern Thailand. Individuals were randomly selected by a multistage random sampling technique. The following data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 8 parts: (1) sociodemographic characteristics, (2) knowledge about pesticide use, (3) perceived severity of impact from pesticide use among farm plant agriculturists, (4) perceived susceptibility to pesticide use, (5) perceived self-efficacy in the modification of safe pesticide-use behaviors, (6) perceived outcome of the modification of safe pesticide-use behaviors, (7) social support, and (8) safe pesticide-use behaviors. Frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, and multiple regression analyses were employed for data analysis. Results: The majority of participants (79.4%) had high scores for safe pesticide-use behaviors among farm plant agriculturists (scores of 112–150). Factors that significantly affected safe pesticide-use behaviors included knowledge about pesticide use (β = 0.282), social support (β = 0.217), reading information from pesticide labels before pesticide use (β = 0.207), perceived self-efficacy (β = 0.186), female sex (β = -0.140), rice farmer status (β = 0.129), corn farmer status (β = 0.127), perceived susceptibility (β = 0.126), having received information from the internet (β = -0.124), and perceived severity (β = -0.098). Together, these 10 factors were found to explain 32.5% of the safe pesticide-use behaviors among farm plant agriculturists. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that there is a need to increase the number of promotional activities related to the safe use of pesticides through social support and training, with the aim of increasing the overall level of knowledge, perceived self-efficacy, perceived susceptibility, and modification of the perceived impact severity of pesticide use. Thus, relevant agencies should promote and support the safe use of pesticides by farm plant agriculturists. Summary: This study revealed that the factors affecting safe pesticide-use behaviors among farm plant agriculturists included knowledge about pesticide use, social support, reading pesticide container labels, perceived self-efficacy in the modification of pesticide-use behaviors, sex, rice farmer status, corn farmer status, perceived susceptibility to pesticide use, having received information from the internet, and perceived severity of impact from pesticide use.

Premarital Sexual Practice (PSP) among adolescents usually involves sexually risky behaviors, such as multiple sexual partners and inconsistent or non-condom use. These behaviors, in combination with other underlining factors, undermine the overall outcomes of Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH). To assess the adolescents’ knowledge, attitudes and perception of risk and preventive behaviors towards PSP, a school-based analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among a sample of 423 students aged 15 through 19 years. A well-validated anonymous self-administered questionnaire was used for collecting the data, which were analyzed using mean (SD), frequency (%), t-test, ANOVA and multiple regression methods. Participants’ knowledge of risk and preventive behaviors was average, as only 53% of knowledge items were correctly answered. Being a female, of high-income status, in the second study year, perceived susceptibility and perceived severity were significant determinants of knowledge. All measures of perception except perceived self-efficacy were positive determinants of attitude. Being female, in the third study year and of high-income status were determinants of perception as measured by perceived self-efficacy. Therefore, our results suggest that tailored educational programs, with special emphasis on financially disadvantaged male adolescents, are needed to effectively increase adolescents’ knowledge, attitude and perception of risk and protective behaviors towards PSP.

Background: Falls among older adults affect physical and mental health, disability, death, and quality of life. Home environmental safety management helps to reduce the risk of falls among older adults. This analytical cross-sectional study aimed to determine factors affecting home environmental safety management for fall prevention for older adults in northern Thailand. Methods: The study sample included 328 relatives who looked after older adults in their families in Phitsanulok Province, northern Thailand. They were randomly selected by a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 7 parts: (1) sociodemographic characteristics, (2) knowledge about home environmental safety management, (3) perceived susceptibility of falls, (4) perceived severity of falls among older adults, (5) perceived self-efficacy of home environmental safety management, (6) perceived outcome of home environmental safety management, and (7) home environmental safety management. Frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, and multiple regression analysis were employed for data analysis. Results: The majority of participants (60.4%) had high scores for home environmental safety management for fall prevention for older adults (scores of 14–20). Factors that significantly affected home environmental safety management included perceived severity of falls among older adults (β = 0.323), perceived self-efficacy of home environmental safety management (β = 0.311), the elderly family member having fallen in the past year (β = 0.217), being a grandchild of an older adult (β = -0.143), perceived outcome of home environmental safety management (β = 0.142), and being widowed, divorced or separated (β = -0.096). These 6 factors explained 35.1% of home environmental safety management for fall prevention for older adults. Conclusion: Relatives who look after older adults should be educated about the perceived severity of falls among older adults, perceived self-efficacy, and perceived outcome of home environmental safety management. The focus should be on grandchildren of older adults and those who are widowed, divorced or separated to understand how home environmental safety management is important to prevent falls and their consequences among older adults.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of and factors associated with contraceptive use among school-going adolescents.Design/methodology/approach: A cross-sectional study was conducted among vocational school students in Phitsanulok, Northern Thailand. The study employed a multistage random sampling technique to select 391 students from three schools that were purposively selected.Findings: The prevalence of contraceptive use during the most recent sexual intercourse was 75.8%. The condom was the most commonly used contraceptive method, followed by emergency pills and the rhythm/calendar method. Being male, in the second academic year, sexual communication with parents, sex with a casual partner or sex worker and contraceptive use at sexual initiation were significant risk factors for contraceptive use (p < 0.05). The preventive factors were subdistrict municipality area residency, extended family, medium or high income and partners who drank (p < 0.05).Originality/value: The authors found a high prevalence of contraceptive use among school-going adolescents. Maintaining and improving this trend would require a concerted effort from all stakeholders to promote early sexuality communication and ensure access and use of contraceptive services.

Pulmonary tuberculosis can spread by airborne transmission when an infected person coughs, sneezes and speaks via expectorates. Therefore, household contacts who are close to a tuberculosis patient are at the highest risk of contracting the disease. This analytical cross-sectional study aimed to determine the factors affecting prevention behaviors among household contacts in Phitsanulok Province, northern Thailand. The study sample included 193 household contacts with pulmonary tuberculosis in Phitsanulok Province. They were randomly selected using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 8 parts: (1) sociodemographic characteristics, (2) tuberculosis knowledge, (3) perceived susceptibility of tuberculosis infection, (4) perceived severity of tuberculosis, (5) perceived self-efficacy of tuberculosis prevention, (6) perceived outcome of tuberculosis prevention, (7) social support of tuberculosis prevention, and (8) tuberculosis prevention behaviors. Frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, and multiple regression analysis were explored for data analysis. Most participants (91.2%) had tuberculosis prevention behaviors at a high level (scores of 4.35). Factors that significantly affected tuberculosis prevention behaviors included perceived self-efficacy in tuberculosis prevention (β = 0.474), social support (β = 0.220), current smoker (β = -0.171), driving to the hospital (β = 0.150), unknown history of tuberculosis vaccination (BCG) (β = -0.122), and those who were older siblings, aunts, uncles, younger siblings, or nephews of participants (β = -0.116). These 6 factors explained 38.5% of tuberculosis prevention behaviors. Household contacts to pulmonary tuberculosis should be educated about the perceived self-efficacy of tuberculosis prevention, and receive more social support to prevent the disease. The focus should be on current smokers, those who drive to the hospital, those who do not know the history of tuberculosis vaccination, and relatives of patients (older sibling, aunt, uncle, younger sibling, nephew) to reduce the risk of pulmonary tuberculosis in the future. This study revealed that factors affecting TB prevention behaviors among household contacts included perceived self-efficacy in tuberculosis prevention, social support, current smokers, driving to the hospital, unknown history of tuberculosis vaccination (BCG), and relationship with the patients as older siblings, aunts, uncles, younger siblings, or nephews.