Thai People Research Articles

“Do you think it is a Pandemic?” Apocalypse, Anxiety and the Environmental Grotesque in Paolo Bacigalupi’s The Windup Girl

Paolo Bacigalupi’s The Windup Girl (2009), set in the post fossil-fuel, post turbo-capitalist country of Thailand, portrays the shocking after effects of bioengineering and gene-hack modifications in food crops. The narrative depicts a country tottering on the brink of an agricultural apocalypse on account of food production being severely affected by crop driven anomalies and rogue diseases such as “cibiscosis” and “blister rust” transmitted by variants of mutating pests. Natural seed stock becomes completely supplanted by the new genetically engineered seeds which become sterile after a single seasonal cycle of sowing and harvesting. The native population of Thailand is adversely affected by the pandemic scenario, which becomes aggravated by an expedient “scientocracy” that is at the heart of the neocolonial enterprises of American megacorporations and calorie companies like Agrigen, PurCal and Redstar who hail gene hacking as the new future of food resources and market profiteering. The consumption of the gene-hacked produce spreads through crops and affects the human body in unimaginable ways thereby resulting in a considerable rise of health issues including digestive and respiratory failures.
 This paper intends to articulate the idea of a pandemic, its historical understanding and affective influences in the context of a post techno-fossil fuel economy set in Thailand. It will analyse the idea of epidemiological colonialism; diseases introduced by colonising forces that reshape the natives’ existing environment thereby bringing forth a deep pandemic anxiety that percolates the collective memory of the Thai people. It also highlights how the novel portrays the conflict between traditional ecological knowledge systems and modern extractive enterprises that acts as a catalyst to hasten the destruction of sustainable systems of agriculture and food production that have endured the impact of climate change and ecological fallout. The paper will study the relevance of the pandemic as an agency of ecocatastrophe and its function in an eco-speculative science fictional narrative. Finally, the paper looks into the concept of the posthuman android, genetically modified humans in a “technologiade”, a society reconfigured by technoscience to resist the impact of environmental collapse, and explores how this trope is incorporated in Bacigalupi’s narrative to celebrate human striving for hope and survival in an imagined environmental future marked by a self-created agro-scientific grotesqueness.

Promoting habitual mobile payment usage via the Thai government's 50:50 co-payment scheme

The Thai government launched an economic stimulus initiative using mobile payments (m-payments) to alleviate the economic and public health effects of the COVID-19 outbreak. The advantages of this program and the simplicity, dependability, and contact-free nature of m-payments have led to its widespread adoption in Thailand. Many Thai individuals have never used the m-payment method before. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate at potential factors that encourage frequent m-payment usage with an emphasis on user attitudes and continual usage intentions. The technology acceptance model and the mental accounting theory were used in this study to analyse 506 respondents who had completed a questionnaire survey. According to the structural equation modeling analysis of the survey data, Thai peoples' desire to take part in the government's co-payment program is most influenced by enjoyment, financial benefits, ease of use, health benefits, and situational factors. Surveyed participants particularly liked utilizing m-payment to benefit from the 50% rebate on full-priced goods and services. It was found that a positive attitude toward m-payment use alone is insufficient to promote long-term adoption of contactless payment technology. However, prolonged reliance on the m-payment system was shown to increase the likelihood of habitual usage.

Psychometric evaluation of the Thai version of the Self-Care of Coronary Heart Disease Inventory Version 3.

Engaging in self-care is an important aspect of the prevention and management of coronary heart disease (CHD), the leading cause of premature death in Thailand. As no validated tool exists to measure self-care in Thai people with CHD, we translated and examined the psychometric properties of the Self-Care of Coronary Heart Disease Inventory Version 3 (SC-CHDI-V3) in a Thai population. The SC-CHDI-V3 was translated into Thai using the standard forward and backward translation procedure for self-care instruments. A cross-sectional design was used to examine the psychometric properties of the Thai version of the SC-CHDI-V3 in 250 patients with confirmed CHD in a tertiary hospital in southern Thailand. Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega coefficients were used to assess internal consistency, and confirmatory factor analysis was performed to assess construct validity. The Thai version of the SC-CHDI-V3 demonstrated acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega coefficients of each scale ranged from 0.821 to 0.910). Reliability estimates were adequate for each scale (range 0.863-0.906). Confirmatory factor analysis supported the original factor structure of the instrument, with good fit indices for all three scales (comparative fit index = 0.996-1.000; root mean square error of approximation = <0.001-0.040). The Thai version of the SC-CHDI-V3 appears to be a valid and reliable instrument for measuring engagement in self-care maintenance, self-care monitoring, and self-care management among Thai people with CHD.

Epidemiology of prediabetes mellitus among hill tribe adults in Thailand.

Prediabetes is a major silent health problem that leads to the development of diabetes within a few years, particularly among those who have a low socioeconomic status. Hill tribe people are vulnerable to prediabetes due to their unique cultural cooking methods and their hard work on farms, as well as their low economic status and educational levels. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of prediabetes among hill tribe people in Thailand and identify the related factors. This cross-sectional study included participants who belong to one of the six main hill tribes: Akah, Lahu, Hmong, Yao, Karen, and Lisu. The study was conducted in 30 hill tribe villages in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. A validated questionnaire was administered, and 5-mL blood specimens were collected. Data were collected between November 2019 and March 2020. Logistic regression was used to determine the associations between independent variables and prediabetes. A total of 1,406 participants were recruited for the study; 67.8% were women, 77.2% were between 40 and 59 years old, and 82.9% were married. The majority worked in the agricultural sector (57.2%), had an annual income ≤ 50,000 baht (67.5%), and had never attended school (69.3%). The prevalence of prediabetes was 11.2%. After controlling for age and sex, five factors were found to be associated with prediabetes. Members of the Akha and Lisu tribes had 2.03 (95% CI = 1.03-3.99) and 2.20 (95% CI = 1.10-4.42) times higher odds of having prediabetes than Karen tribe members, respectively. Those with hypertension (HT) had 1.47 (95% CI = 1.03-2.08) times higher odds of having prediabetes than those with normal blood pressure. Those with a normal total cholesterol level had 2.43 (95% CI = 1.65-3.58) times higher odds of having prediabetes than those with a high total cholesterol level. Those with a high triglyceride level had 1.64 (95% CI = 1.16-2.32) times higher odds of having prediabetes than those with a normal triglyceride level. Those with a high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level had 1.96 (95% CI = 1.30-2.96) times higher odds of having prediabetes than those with a normal LDL-C level. Appropriate dietary guidelines and exercise should be promoted among hill tribe people between 30 and 59 years old to reduce the probability of developing prediabetes.

Assessing knowledge and attitude of Thai citizens towards cannabidiol products

Cannabis related products are frequently found in Thailand because Cannabis sativa had passed the law in 2018. This study used cross-sectional survey method aimed to investigate Thai people knowledge and perspectives towards the utilization of cannabidiol products. The survey was done by a set of online questionnaires constructed by the researcher and tested content validity by experts and reliability by Cronbach’s alpha. The results showed that there were 470 participants with female majority (57.9%) and aged between 41 – 60 years old (37.0%). 42.8% of them had experience of using cannabinol products, which were for only food and drinks (21.29%), cannabinol oil sublingually (18.32%), massage oil (3.96%), respectively. The mean knowledge regarding cannabinol product use and effects was 6.55 out of 13 (SD±2.95) and mean perspectives toward cannabinol product use was 8.82 out of 12 (SD±2.32). Moreover, I found significant correlation between perspective and experience of cannabinol product use (p&lt;0.001) as well as gender (p&lt;0.001). Thai people have knowledge on cannabis but with limited extent especially side effect and toxicity of cannabinol substances and observed to hold a positive attitude towards cannabidiol products usage.

Language and Leadership: Key Linguistic Attributes and Devices Reflecting Charismatic Leadership of King Rama IX of Thailand *Featured Article*

Effective communication is one of the most important factors bringing about people’s confidence in the information and its source. Most charismatic leaders employ some particular rhetorical devices to gain people’s trust with the ultimate goal of bringing peace and prosperity to the nation. The present study aimed at extracting some linguistic devices and attributes in relation to roles of leaders from speeches delivered by King Rama IX—one of the most significant and respectful leaders of Thailand. Data were speeches of HM the King given from 1974 to 1999 on the occasion of the royal birthday anniversaries. Qualitatively, types of attributes and linguistic devices were proposed while frequencies of occurrences of devices, together with frequencies per 1,000-word text, were quantitatively reported. Results found that King Rama IX’s studied speeches comprised three attributes—[HUMBLENESS], [PERSUASIVENESS] AND [SOLIDARITY]—with eight major types of linguistic devices. The proposed attributes and devices were said to enhance confidence of Thai people on his leadership.

CHALLENGES OF USING ENGLISH AS A MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION (EMI) IN THAILAND

This article aims to review the situation of English education in Thailand at present. Thailand has put much effort into improving Thai people’s English proficiency all along. Even if various reforms in education, policies, and initiatives concerning English language teaching have been launched to develop the abilities of English-speaking Thais, slow progress has been made. Thai English proficiency remains among the lowest, despite government efforts from the past to the present. As globalization has accelerated due to transportation and technological advances, the use of English has occupied a major role in international communication. Using English as a medium of instruction has also been a goal of the Thai government. However, no matter how hard the previous and current governments have tried to improve the Thai people’s English competence, it seems the Thai people’s proficiency is always behind. This article discusses why Thai people remain incompetent in English and what the factors impeding Thailand's ability to use English as a medium of instruction are. Also, ideas are given for how Thailand could get past the English language fallacy and become a country where English is used to teach.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding "New Normal" Guidelines and Quality of Life Among Thai People During the COVID-19 Outbreak: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey.

In Thailand, strict prevention and control strategies have been implemented to mitigate the rapid spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). “New normal” guidelines and a series of mobile health applications have been introduced by the healthcare sector and implemented to aid the disease control monitoring and prevention of widespread outbreaks. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding “new normal” guidelines and quality of life (QOL) among Thai people during the COVID-19 outbreak, and to determine the association between KA, QOL, and practices. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted from 7 June to 12 September 2021 among Thai people in Public Health Region 6 aged ≥ 18 years old. Of the 506 survey participants, 80.3% were female, and 65.0% were 25–59 years old. The survey revealed that 52.2% of participants were classified as having more accurate knowledge, 58.9% were classified as having more positive attitudes, and 80.8% were classified as having more frequent practices regarding “new normal” guidelines, and 54.7% had high QOL. Of the participants, 93.7% agreed that “people who have been fully vaccinated should wear a mask while outside,” and 95.5% wore a face mask outdoors in crowded places. However, 60.9% of participants misunderstood some details regarding online applications for contact tracing and vaccination services, 44.2% felt that these applications were difficult to use, and 33.4% rarely or never downloaded or used these applications. In logistic regression analyses, accurate knowledge of COVID-19 was associated with higher education, being a government employee, monthly family income > 30,000 Thai Baht, and regular use of social media. More positive attitudes regarding “new normal” guidelines and high QOL were associated with positive practices. High QOL was associated with older age, and higher education. Enhancement of attitudes and QOL is also important for improving practices in the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Significant factors identified in KAP will be crucial for developing effective prevention and control programs to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. To implement mobile health applications effectively, more work is required to improve the ease of use and promotion strategies.

Situation of antibiotic residues in pork, chicken and beef in Thailand

Humans can exist by consuming food. In our daily lives, there are free foods as well as foods that contain residues such as drug resistance in meat. There are many cases of unsafe consumption disadvantages, such as headaches, nausea and vomiting, allergic reactions or even fatalities, where food residues can be obtained from various sources such as agriculture, pesticides, fruit residues, livestock, as well as aquatic animals. When humans have increased demand for food, they are increasingly consuming food. As a result, many food sources use various substances to increase productivity and result in residues, such as the use of accelerants for pigs to grow quickly, increasing the weight of pigs in a matter of months. The constant detection of antibiotic residues in pork, chicken, and cows shows the problem of residues that have not improved at all. This is due to the use of antibiotics on farms, hygiene, and incorrect drug habits. It affects a lot of our daily lives. When consuming foods containing large quantities of residues for a long time. These residues can cause long-term effects, with the effects of exposure to large amounts of residues in the body, possibly leading to the development of antibiotic bacteria. As a result, various ailments followed later. This study contains objects intended to study the situation of antibiotic residues in pork, chicken, and cows, which are the main food days of Thai people and to increase awareness of safe food. The study was based on government report sources as well as relevant research to collect and analyze data.

Correlations between percent body fat measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and anthropometric measurements in Thai persons with chronic traumatic spinal cord injury.

Cross-sectional study. To determine and compare the correlations of percent body fat (%BF) evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and anthropometric measurements including body mass index (BMI), skinfold thickness, waist circumference, hip circumference, and waist to hip ratio in Thai persons with chronic traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). An SCI-specialized rehabilitation facility in a university hospital. Forty-six Thais with chronic traumatic SCI from a chronic SCI cohort of Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital were enrolled. Anthropometric measurements including weight, height, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist to hip ratio, and skinfold thickness of four sites (biceps, triceps, subscapular, and suprailiac) were measured. The estimated %BF was calculated using the Durnin-Womersley formula based on the sum of 4-site skinfold thickness. Data of %BF was evaluated by DEXA within 3 months before anthropometric measurements of each participant were obtained. The correlations between each anthropometric parameter and % BF from DEXA were determined by the Pearson correlation coefficient. The correlation of %BF between two methods, i.e., DEXA and estimation based on 4-site skinfold thickness, was strongly positive (r = 0.829; p < 0.001). The correlations between %BF from DEXA and hip circumference, BMI, and waist circumference were moderately positive (r = 0.697, 0.540, and 0.540, respectively; all p < 0.001). Better than the other anthropometric measurements, the estimation of %BF based on the 4-site skinfold using the Durnin-Womersley formula is a practical method for evaluating obesity in Thai people with chronic traumatic SCI.

Effect of Different Cooking Methods on Selenium Content of Fish Commonly Consumed in Thailand.

Although fish are good sources of selenium (Se), an essential trace element for the human body, very limited data exist on Se content in commonly consumed fish in Thailand. Consequently, this study investigated selenium content and the effect of cooking among 10 fish species (5 freshwater and 5 marine) most-commonly consumed by the Thai people. The fish were purchased from three representative wholesale markets within or nearby to Bangkok. All fish species were prepared to determine their edible portions (EP) and moisture contents. Total Se in fresh, boiled, and fried fish were analysed using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Triple Quadrupole-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-QQQ-MS). In general, higher levels of Se were found in marine fish (37.1–198.5 µg/100 g EP in fresh fish, 48.0–154.4 µg/100 g EP in boiled fish, and 52.9–262.4 µg/100 g EP in fried fish) compared to freshwater fish (6.9–29.4 µg/100 g EP in fresh fish, 10.1–26.5 µg/100 g EP in boiled fish, and 13.7–43.8 µg/100 g EP in fried fish). While Longtail tuna showed significantly higher Se content than other fish (p < 0.05), boiled Longtail tuna had significantly lower true retention of Se than the other fish (p < 0.05). Most fish species retained a high level of selenium (ranged 64.1–100.0% true retention in boiling and frying). Longtail tuna, Short-bodied mackerel, Indo-pacific Spanish mackerel, Nile tilapia, and red Nile tilapia–cooked by boiling and frying–are recommended for consumption as excellent sources of selenium.

Factors affecting Food Consumption behaviour during COVID-Pandemic among Thai People aged 15-20 years old in Bangkok,Thailand

Background: The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the entire world, including every province of Thailand, spreading rapidly causing several measures to take place. To control the epidemic, lockdown measures were implemented. Suspension of international travel, abstaining from meeting up in large groups to name a few examples. Eating out in restaurants is a common aspect in people?s lives, especially in Bangkok. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, bangkokians face the heightening need for read-to-eat food more than ever. This in turn has caused a difference in people?s behaviour towards food consumption. Objective: To study about knowledge and understanding of food consumption and the factors influencing food consumption behaviour during the spread of COVID-19. Method: A questionnaire to measure cognition about food safety consumption. During the COVID-19 outbreak and food consumption behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic Result: A total of 428 participants, aged between 15-20 years old, revealed a low-level knowledge of food consumption and a moderated level of food consumption behaviour (M=48.68, SD=8.12). Gender, Age, Class Level, Parents? Occupation, Household Income and Nutrition related Knowledge affected Food consumption behaviour {Multiple R = .111, F=7.443, p<0.001, df (7,419)}. These factors could predict 11% (R Square =0.111). When considered all factors it had been found that Nutrition related knowledge was the only statistically significant predictive factors for food consumption behaviour (Beta=0.16, t=3.41,p<0.01) Conclusion: Participants had a low level of food consumption knowledge and a moderate level of food consumption behaviour. Providing knowledge or health educational programs regarding food consumption and nutrition should be done in order to improve knowledge and understanding as well as appropriate food consumption behaviour among people aged 15-20 years old, especially during COVID-19 pandemic.

The Association of HLA-B*35 and GSTT1 Genotypes and Hepatotoxicity in Thai People Living with HIV.

Glutathione s-transferase (GST) is a family of drug-metabolizing enzymes responsible for metabolizing and detoxifying drugs and xenobiotic substances. Therefore, deletion polymorphisms of GSTs can be implicated in developing several pathological conditions, including antiretroviral drug-induced liver injury (ARVDILI). Notably, GST polymorphisms have been shown to be associated with ARVDILI risk. However, data on GST polymorphisms in the Thai population are limited. Therefore, this study investigated possible associations between GST genetic polymorphisms and ARVDILI development. A total of 362 people living with HIV (PLHIV) and 85 healthy controls from multiple centers were enrolled. GSTM1 and GSTT1 genetic polymorphisms were determined using polymerase chain reactions. In addition, HLA genotypes were determined using a sequence-based HLA typing method. After comparing GST genotypic frequencies, there was no significant difference between PLHIV and healthy volunteers. However, while observing the PLHIV group, GSTT1 wild type was significantly associated with a 2.04-fold increased risk of ARVDILI (95%CI: 1.01, 4.14; p = 0.045). Interestingly, a combination of GSTT1 wild type and HLA-B*35:05 was associated with a 2.28-fold higher risk of ARVDILI (95%CI: 1.15, 4.50; p = 0.02). Collectively, GSTT1 wild type and a combination of GSTT1 wild type plus HLA-B*35:05 were associated with susceptibility to ARVDILI in the Thai population.

The Influence of the Density of Buddhist Temples on the Spatial Distribution of Happiness of the Elderly in Thailand

This study statistically identified the localized association between patterns of happiness and its association with religion among elderly people in Thailand. This study was conducted by using a data set from the National Statistical Office (NSO) of Thailand, 2017. A Moran’s I, local indicators of spatial association (LISA), and spatial regression were used to identify the spatial autocorrelation between the density of Buddhist temples, with reflecting the socioeconomic status and happiness among elderly. Findings showed that among the total of 33,343 participants, 65.92 %were happy. There was a spatial global autocorrelation between the density of Buddhist temple and elderly’s happiness with the Moran’s I values of 0.204. The LISA analysis indicated 11 hot-spots or high-high clusters. Buddhist temple density could predict happiness among the elderly by 54.8 percent. In addition, Supporting the maintenance and restoration of Buddhist temples is critical to ensuring the aging society in Thailand experiences lasting happiness. That promotes and supports, particularly when it comes to mental health. Increase the morale of the elderly and their life expectancy by providing them with more opportunities. It has an impact on the well-being of long-term happiness

A cross-sectional study of factors associated with life satisfaction in Thai elderly

IntroductionAging raises wide-ranging issues within social, economic, welfare, and health care systems. Life satisfaction is regarded as an indicator of the quality of life which, in turn, is associated with mortality and morbidity in older adults.ObjectivesLife Satisfaction is a dimension of happiness and well-being which represents the quality of life in both literacy and every aspect of a person. The purpose of the article is to assess the level of life satisfaction and the factors associated with life satisfaction in old age.MethodsThis research was conducted in a cross-sectional study using 36 items from Satisfaction and Well-being of Elderly (Thai semi-structured in-depth interviews) tools to collect data. The population used in this study was Thai people over 60 and used multistage probability sampling, were held with 2000 elderly individuals from 13 health regions of Thailand.Results Of the 2000 samples, the overall life satisfaction was moderate (54.1%). Upon data analysis, ten categories were extracted. However, there are 7 factors that significantly influence the level of life satisfaction of the Thai elderly at p &lt; 0.05: Age, Occupation, Recreational activities, Revenue, Education level, Religious activities, and Social Support. Moreover, when tested with Pearson Correlation found that the relationship between and Thai brief screening for depression (2Q) was low correlated (r -0.121, P=0.000).ConclusionsAging should be foreseen and forethought to increase life satisfaction. The following can be effective in increasing life satisfaction in the elderly: Placing greater emphasis on spiritualism in life, employment of the elderly, and promoting positive leisure in the elderly.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Thai Consumer Perspective on Marketing Ethics of Consumer Products

Consumer complaints are continuously growing in Thailand; although consumer protection laws protect the Thai people while the current situation differs. Therefore, this research investigated the marketing ethics of consumer products from the perspective of Thai consumers and suggested the development of marketing ethics strategies for Thai businesses. This quantitative research used a questionnaire to collect data from 400 Thai consumers, which focused on personal factors, consumer buying behavior, problem &amp; solution requirement, and satisfaction towards the marketing ethics of consumer products. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation, and inference statistics to test the research hypotheses. The research results showed that the buying problems were high prices, deceptive advertising, selling prices over the price tag, defective/expired products, and below specification. Meanwhile, consumers required product replacement or money refunds as their preferred solution choices from producers at most. The hypotheses testing found that differences in personal factors (age and marital status) resulted in different preferences on marketing ethics of consumer products satisfaction, but the gender factor showed no differences. Meanwhile, consumer behavior factors (product type buying and buying frequency) and problem-solution requirement factor (no-any-action) resulted in different preferences on marketing ethics of consumer products satisfaction at a statistically significant difference of 0.05.

Relationship between socioeconomic, demographic, health and social characteristics and ability to access reliable information on herbal and food supplements: analysis of Thai Health Literacy Survey 2019

BackgroundThe consumption of herbal and food supplements attributing to health expenditures in Thailand has been increasing over the years. However, information on herbal and food supplement products can make it difficult for some people with limited health literacy to use. Evidence from previous studies outside Thailand shows that SES disadvantaged groups are more likely to have limited health literacy compared with their counterparts with advantaged SES. The present study adds to this body of knowledge through an exploration of health literacy competencies related to herbal and food supplement consumption to determine what competency would be most problematic among Thai people. The study also investigated the influences of demographic and socio-economic factors on the most problematic health literacy competency on herbal and food supplements.MethodsThe THL-S used a stratified three-stage-sampling to draw a sample of Thais aged 15 years and above. Participants were interviewed with a questionnaire of 34 items measuring health literacy and 8 items measuring behavioural practices. Responses to questions on accessing, understanding, communicating, and making decisions related to herbal and food supplement consumption were analysed. A logistic regression model was used to explore the association between having difficulties in accessing information and participant’s socio-economic factors.ResultsLevels of difficulties the participants experienced varied among their health literacy competencies. Accessing reliable information was found to be the most problematic health literacy competency faced by respondents (48%), followed by asking healthcare providers about herbal products and food supplements (41%). Significant differences in the ability to access reliable information on herbal and food supplements were found to be based on differences in: education, income levels, occupation, insurance scheme coverage, age, sex, reading ability, writing ability, chronic diseases, wearing eyeglasses or lenses, hearing impairment, and having a community leading role.ConclusionsAccessing reliable information on herbal and food supplements has been found to be the most difficult health literacy competency among respondents to the survey, particularly vulnerable consumers in the society such as people with hearing impairment or having limited overall literacy competencies. Therefore, health literacy programs might be developed to build health literacy competencies and empower vulnerable consumers for reasonable use of herbal and food supplements.

The relationship between sexual and gender stigma and suicide attempt and ideation among LGBTQI + populations in Thailand: findings from a national survey

PurposeThailand has one of the highest suicide rates in Southeast Asia; yet, little is known about suicidality among lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, and other gender and sexually diverse (LGBTQI +) people living in the region, who may experience elevated risk for suicide. We sought to identify the prevalence of lifetime suicidal attempts and ideation among a nationally recruited sample of LGBTQI + people in Thailand. We further examined the relationship between levels of sexual/gender stigma and suicidal attempt and ideation.MethodsData were derived from a national online survey of Thai LGBTQI + individuals between January and March 2018. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between sexual/gender stigma scales, adapting a previously validated instrument, and suicide attempt and ideation.ResultsAmong 1,290 LGBTQI + participants, the median age was 27 years. The prevalence of suicide attempt and ideation was 16.8% and 50.7%, respectively. In multivariable analyses, after adjusting for potential confounders, experiences of perceived and enacted sexual/gender stigma were independently and positively associated with suicide attempt (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.25; 95% confidence interval CI:1.10–1.41 and AOR = 1.31; 95% CI:1.11–1.55, respectively) and ideation (AOR = 1.30; 95% CI:1.17–1.43 and AOR = 1.34; 95% CI:1.14–1.58, respectively).ConclusionOne-sixth of the sample reported a suicide attempt, while a half reported ever contemplating suicide. Both experiences of perceived and enacted sexual/gender stigma were associated with lifetime suicide attempt and ideation. Multi-level interventions are needed to decrease stigma and in turn suicide among LGBTQ + people in Thailand, including anti-discrimination policies and support for mental health and well-being.

The Study of Prevalence and Factors Related to Smoking of Thai Families during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: COVID-19 is a viral respiratory infection causing severe acute respiratory syndrome. Smoking is a major cause of non-communicable diseases and causing death of Thai people in the past 10 years. COVID-19 patients with a history of smoking could experience severe symptoms. Objective: To study the prevalence and related factors of smoking in Thai families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: The present study was a survey to explore the prevalence and factors of smoking in Thai families. Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, 41.5% of Thai family had a family member that smoked. The factors affecting smoking in the family were the extended family, which was statistically significantly more than in the single family at 1.53 times (adjusted OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.21 to 1.94). Monthly family income, insufficient income, or no income affected smoking in the family statistically significantly more than expenditures at 2.41 times (adjusted OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.38 to 4.22). Monthly family income that changed to insufficient income for some months affected smoking in the family statistically significantly more than expenditures at 2.29 times (adjusted OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.31 to 3.98). Monthly moderate family income with just enough each month affected smoking in the family statistically significantly 2.02 times higher than in families with higher income (adjusted OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.15 to 3.55). At least one type of the domestic violence such as mental, physical, or sexual violence in the family affected smoking in the family during the COVID-19 pandemic more than in the non-violent families 1.31 times (adjusted OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.65). Conclusion: The present study showed the prevalence of smoking in Thai families during the COVID-19 pandemic has relationship with family characteristics, domestic violence, and monthly income. Keywords: COVID-19; Smoking; Family

COVID-19 Preventive Behaviors and Influencing Factors in the Thai Population: A Web-Based Survey.

ObjectivesTo identify factors influencing COVID-19 preventive behaviors among the Thai population.MethodsA cross-sectional web-based survey was used. A total of 6,521 Thai people completed the survey. The multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify factors that influenced coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) preventive behaviors. The Predisposing, Reinforcing, and Enabling Constructs in Educational Diagnosis and Evaluation (PRECEDE) model was applied to propose factors influencing COVID-19 preventive behaviors.ResultsThe factors that mostly influenced COVID-19 prevention behaviors when controlling for the other variables are social support (β = 0.173, p < 0.001) follow by age (β = 0.162, p < 0.001), flu-like symptoms (β = 0.130, p < 0.001), gender (β = −0.084, p < 0.001), perceived risk of exposure (β = 0.035, p < 0.05), lock down policy (β = 0.029, p < 0.05), and residential area (β = −0.027, p < 0.05), respectively. These factors explained 52% of the COVID-19 preventive behaviors in Thai population.ConclusionThe result of this study was a foundation for further studies on different groups of people to develop different strategies to adopt preventive behaviors to reduce the spread of the COVID-19.