Health Literacy Associated with Raw Cyprinoid Fish Consumption in Northeastern Thailand

Abstract

Background: Currently, more than 10 million people are at risk of liver fluke infection caused by Opisthorchis(O.) viverrini in Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand. The cause is the fish-borne diseases which result fromthe frequent consumption of undercooked fish.Method: A cross-sectional analytical study was designed for one-year period. A total of 1,163 respondentsat the age of 15-59 was chosen through the cluster random sampling.Results: Health literacy including inadequate access health information (ORadj = 2.05; 95%CI: 1.16 - 3.60,p<0.05), inadequate understand health information (ORadj= 2.81; 95%CI: 1.46 - 5.43, <0.001) inadequateappraise health information (ORadj = 2.35; 95%CI: 1.38 - 3.99, < 0.001) and inadequateapply healthinformation (ORadj = 4.32; 95%CI: 2.24 - 8.35, p<0.001), had statistical significance associated with rawcyprinoid fish consumption. In addition, feeding dogs and cats with raw cyprinoid fish (ORadj = 4.94; 95%CI:3.48 - 7.00, p<0.001)associated with raw cyprinoid fish consumption with statistical significance.Conclusions: This study indicates that health literacy was associated with the raw cyprinoid fish consumption.Therefore, O.viverrini prevention and control should focus on their health literacy and change their eatingbehaviors, tradition, context, including feeding dogs and cats.