Document Type : Original Article
Authors
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
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