Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Sociocultural, health knowledge, and health literacy among children ages 9–10 years in Thailand

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Nopparat Senahad
. Wongsa Loahasiriwong 1
. Naowarat Maneenin 2

1 Lecturer, Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand

2 Lecturer, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen, Thailand

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Health literacy (HL) enables a person to make good decisions regarding health 
care, disease prevention, and health promotion to maintain and improve health. In Thailand, most 
existing studies focus on adults’ HL rather than children. This research aimed to determine the 
influence of sociocultural and health knowledge on HL among children ages 9–10 years in Thailand.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross‑sectional study was conducted among 1650 children aged 
9–10 years. The respondents were recruited using multistage random sampling from 39 primary 
schools of 13 provinces in all four regions of Thailand. A self‑administered structured questionnaire 
was used to collect the required data. The multilevel analysis was used to determine the association 
between sociocultural, health knowledge, and HL while controlling the effects of covariates. The 
result was presented as adjusted odd ratios and its 95% confidence interval (CI).
RESULTS: Of the total 1650 respondents, 86.24% (95% CI: 84.49%–87.82%) had adequate and 
excellent levels of HL. The multivariable analysis indicated factors that were significantly associated 
with adequate and excellent levels HL including adequacy of per diem (adjusted odds ratio [adj. OR] 
= 6.78; 95% CI: 3.54–12.97) and had good relationship with teachers (adj. OR = 2.19; 95% CI: 
1.55–3.09). Sources of health education which were received health education from parents (adj. 
OR = 3.51; 95% CI: 2.39–5.14), from teachers (adj. OR = 2.03; 95% CI: 1.43–2.89), and from the 
Internet (adj. OR = 1.83; 95% CI: 1.12–2.99) were also significantly associated with HL. Another 
significant factor was had good level of health knowledge (adj. OR = 1.86; 95% CI: 1.30–2.66) when 
control clustering effect of region, provinces, school, and classroom size.
CONCLUSIONS: More than 85% of children ages 9–10 years in Thailand had adequate and 
excellence levels of HL. Sociocultural and health knowledge had influence on children HL.

Keywords

Children ages 9–10 years old
health knowledge
health literacy
sociocultura
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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 12, Issue 4
April 2022
Pages 1-7

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