Drug Use and Risk of HIV and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) Among Thai Adolescents and Young Adults – A Review

Drug use in Thailand and its accompanying consequences, which are most injurious to adolescents and young adults, are uncharacteristically high. The Office of the Narcotics Control Board estimated that the number of people using methamphetamine had dramatically increased by close to thirteen folds from 1993 to 2002; one of the alarming figures that stimulated the government to initiate laws to fight drug use, starting with the war on drugs in 2003. Methamphetamine is the most commonly used drug which is mostly taken orally rather than intravenously. Other drugs such yaa baa (a combined mixture of caffeine and methamphetamine), amphetamine, heroin and midazolam, are also widely used either smoked or orally. Of the various consequences of adolescents involvement in drug use, the government has particularly paid due attention to the inarguably increased risk of HIV/STIs among this population. The risk of HIV among injecting drug users ranges from six to eleven times more than in non-injecting drug users. Other sexually transmitted infections, such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, HIV, Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), are also prevalent among both injecting and non-injecting drug users; Chlamydia was the most prevalent while HIV was the least. However, HSV and Chlamydia were more predominant among women while HBV was more among men. While the incidence of HIV infection is not associated with the type of drug injected, the risk of HIV is higher in methamphetamine users among whom sharing injecting equipment is characteristically higher than in users of other types of drug. Drug injecting history, in addition to chained smoking and being a binge drinker or a former drinker were behavioural factors linked to HIV prevalence. Furthermore, the frequency of injection and injection equipment sharing, history of sexual abuse, and selling sex were also risk factors for incidence of HIV among users. The aim of this paper, therefore, is to provide a detailed summary of the hitherto risk of HIV/STIs among Thai adolescents and young adults who use drugs and to further provide constructive suggestions to mitigate the increasing vulnerability of this population to HIV/STIs. Keywords: Drug Use, HIV, Sexually Transmitted Infections, Adolescents, Young Adults

Factors affecting safe pesticide-use behaviors among farm plant agriculturists in northeastern Thailand

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

Factors affecting tuberculosis (TB) prevention behaviors among household contacts in Phitsanulok Province, northern Thailand: implications for TB prevention strategy plan

Abstract Background 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. Methods 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. Results 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. Conclusion 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

Factors Predicting Overweight Prevention Behavior in Junior High School Students in The Eastern Economic Corridor Thailand. Case Study: Small And Medium Schools

The development of the area as ASEAN's leading economic zone is an issue of concern in modernization, such as excessive food consumption and decreased physical activity. Promoting health in children is crucial, and one way to achieve this is by preventing them from becoming overweight. This research aimed to identify the factors influencing overweight prevention behaviors among junior high school students In the Eastern Economic Corridor Thailand. Case Study: small and medium schools. We collected data from 91 subjects using a self-administered questionnaire.  The study subjects were randomly selected by systematic random sampling. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, and multiple regression analysis. The study showed that 22.0% of study subjects were overweight and obese. The results revealed that factors affecting overweight prevention behaviors included student earnings management and role model from family and friends on overweight prevention were predicted the overweight prevention behaviors of junior high school students at 30.8% statistically significant at 0.05. In conclusion, as a result of the prevention of overweight in junior high school, stakeholders such as families, schools, and communities should apply these factors in organizing activities to prevent overweight in children. &nbsp

Factors affecting home environmental safety management for fall prevention for older adults in northern Thailand

Abstract 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

Knowledge, Attitude and Perception of Risk and Preventive Behaviors toward Premarital Sexual Practice among In-School Adolescents

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.</jats:p