A STUDY ON ELDERLY PROBLEMS AND HEALTH CARE NEEDS BY THAI TRADITIONAL MEDICINE AT BANDOO SUB-DISTRICT, MUANG DISTRICT, CHIANG RAI PROVINCE

Abstract

          Objectives of this study were to analyze the elderly problems and their health care needs by Thai traditional medicine (TTM) at Bandoo Sub-District, Muang District, Chiang Rai Province using survey research. Samples were 398 elders selected by accidental sampling. The questionnaires of elderly problems and health care needs was used. Then, data was analyzed by percentage and average values. The results showed that in elderly health problems were divided into 2 groups: 1) group of elders who were self-reliant was 331 people 2) group of elders who could not help themselves or self-reliant was 67 people. However, 70.10% of elders had congenital diseases. Elders with mental health problem were 33.92%, with social problems 10.05%, elderly who lived alone and had economic problems, elderly with lower income 31.41%. Moreover, the survey of health care needs revealed that 55.61% of elderly needed to learn herbal planting for household use, 39.01% of elderly needed health care and treatment by TTM, 37.67% of elderly needed health promotion by exercise, 21.08% of elderly needed to learn herbal medicine preparation for household use, 13.90% of elderly needed herbal planting and sell for extra income and 83.67% of elderly who were not self-reliant needed health care place. For further research, a comparative study should be conducted to differentiate the elderly problems and their health care needs by Thai traditional medicine (TTM) in different community contexts.