44 research outputs found
Provision of primary care pharmacy operated by hospital pharmacist
A primary care pharmacy (PCP) is operated by hospital pharmacists in Thailand. This study aims to explore the level of PCP provisions operated by hospital pharmacists, to identify health service components that affect PCP operation and to collect opinions from pharmacists regarding factors influencing PCP operation. A postal survey was conducted in northeastern Thailand. A questionnaire included: (1) the PCP checklist (36 items), (2) questions investigating the health service components required for PCP operation (13 items), and (3) queries to pharmacists concerning factors influencing PCP operation (16 items). Questionnaires were mailed to 262 PCP pharmacists. The PCP provision score was calculated with a max score of 36, and reaching at least 28.8 points was deemed as having âmet expectationâ. Multivariate logistic regression with a backward approach was used to determine health service components which affected PCP operation. Most respondents were female (72, 60.0%), aged 36.0 years (IQR 31.0â41.0) and PCP work experience of 4.0 years (IQR 2.0â10.0). Overall, the PCP provision score had met expectation (median = 29.00, Q1âQ3 = 26.50â32.00). Tasks that met expectation involved managing the medicine supply, a home visit with a multidisciplinary team and protecting consumer health. Improving medicine dispensary and promotion of self-care and herbal use were below expectation. PCP operation depended on doctor involvement (OR = 5.63 95% CI 1.07â29.49) and public health practitioner involvement (OR = 3.12 95% CI 1.27â7.69). The pharmacist's responsibility, i.e., a good relationship with the community, likely increased PCP provision. The PCP has been widely instituted in Northeast Thailand. Doctors and public health practitioners should get involved regularly. Further research is needed to monitor the outcomes and value of PCPs
Alcohol's harm to others and subjective well-being: Cross-sectional studies in Lao People's Democratic Republic and Thailand
Introduction and Aims
Previous studies have confirmed that the number of heavy drinkers in a household negatively correlates with the subjective wellâbeing of individuals in the household. However, limited studies have investigated the experiences of alcohol's harm to others (HTO) and subjective wellâbeing, particularly in lowâ and middleâincome countries. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between experiences of HTO and subjective wellâbeing in two selected lowâ and middleâincome countries.
Design and Methods
We analysed population survey data on 1205 and 1491 individuals aged 18â64âyears from Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) and Thailand, respectively. The respondents' experiences of HTO and their subjective wellâbeing were measured using faceâtoâface interviews. The association between experiencing HTO and subjective wellâbeing was investigated using Tobit regression models.
Results
A significant association between experiencing HTO and subjective wellâbeing was found in Thailand, but not in Lao PDR. Those who had ever experienced HTO had a 2.77âpoint lower score of subjective wellâbeing than those who had never experienced HTO (95% confidence interval â4.67, â0.88; P âvalue <0.05) in Thailand. In Lao PDR, the physical harm dimension showed the strongest association with subjective wellâbeing compared to other types of harm, while in Thailand, financial harm was the dimension most strongly associated with the outcome.
Discussion and Conclusions
There was a significant association between HTO and subjective wellâbeing, particularly physical harm in Lao PDR and financial harm in Thailand. The study suggests that services to mitigate the impacts of HTO on wellâbeing should focus on physical harm in Lao PDR and financial harm in Thailand
The Clusters of Health-Risk Behaviours and Mental Wellbeing and Their Sociodemographic Correlates: A Study of 15,366 ASEAN University Students
Background
This study investigated, through cluster analysis, the associations between behavioural characteristics, mental wellbeing, demographic characteristics, and health among university students in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) University Network â Health Promotion Network (AUN-HPN) member universities.
Methods
Data were retrieved from a cross-sectional self-administered online survey among undergraduate students in seven ASEAN countries. A two-step cluster analysis was employed, with cluster labels based on the predominant characteristics identified within the clusters. The âhealthyâ cluster was assigned as the reference group for comparisons using multinomial logistic regression analysis.
Results
The analytic sample size comprised 15,366 university students. Five clusters of student-types were identified: (i) âHealthyâ (n = 1957; 12.7%); (ii) âHigh sugary beverage consumptionâ (n = 8482; 55.2%); (iii) âPoor mental wellbeingâ (n = 2009; 13.1%); (iv) âSmokerâ (n = 1364; 8.9%); and (v) âAlcohol drinkerâ (n = 1554; 10.1%). Being female (OR 1.28, 95%CI 1.14, 1.45) and being physically inactive (OR 1.20, 95%CI 1.04, 1.39) increased the odds of belonging to the âHigh sugary beverage consumptionâ cluster. Being female (OR 1.21, 95%CI 1.04, 1.41), non-membership in a sports club (OR 1.83, 95%CI 1.43, 2.34) were associated with âPoor mental wellbeingâ. Obesity (OR 2.03, 95%CI 1.47, 2.80), inactively commuting to campus (OR 1.34, 95%CI 1.09, 1.66), and living in high-rise accommodation (OR 2.94, 95%CI 1.07, 8.07) were associated with membership in the âSmokerâ cluster. Students living in The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam had a higher likelihood of being alcohol drinkers, compared with those who lived in Brunei.
Conclusions
ASEAN university students exhibited health-risk behaviours that typically clustered around a specific health behaviour and mental wellbeing. The results provided support for focusing interventions on one dominant health-risk behaviour, with associated health-risk behaviours within clusters being potential mediators for consideration
Prevalence of Health-Risk Behaviors and Mental Well-Being of ASEAN University Students in COVID-19 Pandemic
The prevalence of epidemiological health-risk behaviors and mental well-being in the COVID-19 pandemic, stratified by sociodemographic factors in Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) university students, were examined in the research. Data were collected in MarchâJune 2021 via an online survey from 15,366 university students from 17 universities in seven ASEAN countries. Analyzed data comprised results on physical activity, health-related behaviors, mental well-being, and sociodemographic information. A large proportion of university students consumed sugar-sweetened beverages (82.0%; 95%CI: 81.4, 82.6) and snacks/fast food daily (65.2%; 95%CI: 64.4, 66.0). About half (52.2%; 95%CI: 51.4, 53.0) consumed less than the recommended daily amounts of fruit/vegetable and had high salt intake (54%; 95%CI: 53.3, 54.8). Physical inactivity was estimated at 39.7% (95%CI: 38.9, 40.5). A minority (16.7%; 95%CI: 16.1, 17.3) had low mental well-being, smoked (8.9%; 95%CI: 8.4, 9.3), and drank alcohol (13.4%; 95%CI: 12.8, 13.9). Country and body mass index had a significant correlation with many health-risk behaviors and mental well-being. The research provided important baseline data for guidance and for the monitoring of health outcomes among ASEAN university students and concludes that healthy diet, physical activity, and mental well-being should be key priority health areas for promotion among university students
The Alcohol Environment Protocol: A new tool for alcohol policy
Introduction and Aim To report data on the implementation of alcohol policies regarding availability and marketing, and drink driving, along with ratings of enforcement from two small high-income to three high-middle income countries, and one low-middle income country. Method This study uses the Alcohol Environment Protocol, an International Alcohol Control study research tool, which documents the alcohol policy environment by standardised collection of data from administrative sources, observational studies and interviews with key informants to allow for cross-country comparison and change over time. Results All countries showed adoption to varying extents of key effective policy approaches outlined in the World Health Organization Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol (2010). High-income countries were more likely to allocate resources to enforcement. However, where enforcement and implementation were high, policy on availability was fairly liberal. Key Informants judged alcohol to be very available in both high- and middle-income countries, reflecting liberal policy in the former and less implementation and enforcement and informal (unlicensed) sale of alcohol in the latter. Marketing was largely unrestricted in all countries and while drink-driving legislation was in place, it was less well enforced in middle-income countries. Conclusion In countries with fewer resources, alcohol policies are less effective because of lack of implementation and enforcement and, in the case of marketing, lack of regulation. This has implications for the increase in consumption taking place as a result of the expanding distribution and marketing of commercial alcohol and consequent increases in alcohol-related harm
Alcohol taxesâ contribution to prices in high and middle-income countries : data from the International Alcohol Control Study
The paper draws on data from six participating countries of the International Alcohol Control Study to examine and evaluate their comparative prices and tax regimes. Both ad valorem and specific per unit of alcohol taxation systems are represented among the six countries. The prices differ widely between countries even though presented in terms of Purchasing Power Parity. The percentage of tax in the final price also varies widely but is much lower than the 75% goal set by the World Health Organization. There is a higher proportion of abstainers in middle-income countries and men drink much more alcohol than women
The International Alcohol Control Study: Methodology and implementation.
INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: The International Alcohol Control (IAC) Study is a multi-country collaborative project to assess patterns of alcohol consumption and the impact of alcohol control policy. The aim of this paper is to report the methods and implementation of the IAC. DESIGN AND METHODS: The IAC has been implemented among drinkers 16-65âyears in high- and middle-income countries: Australia, England, Scotland, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, Thailand, South Africa, Peru, Mongolia and Vietnam (the latter four samples were sub-national). Two research instruments were used: the IAC survey of drinkers and the Alcohol Environmental Protocol (a protocol for policy analysis). The survey was administered via computer-assisted interview and the Alcohol Environmental Protocol data were collected via document review, administrative or commercial data and key informant interviews. RESULTS: The IAC instruments were readily adapted for cross-country use. The IAC methodology has provided cross-country survey data on key measures of alcohol consumption (quantity, frequency and volume), aspects of policy relevant behaviour and policy implementation: availability, price, purchasing, marketing and drink driving. The median response rate for all countries was 60% (range 16% to 99%). Where data on alcohol available for consumption were available the validity of survey consumption measures were assessed by calculating survey coverage found to be 86% or above. Differential response bias was handled, to the extent it could be, using post-stratification weights. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The IAC study will allow for cross-country analysis of drinking patterns, the relationship between alcohol use and policy relevant behaviour in different countries
Socio-economic disadvantage is associated with heavier drinking in high but not middle-income countries participating in the International Alcohol Control (IAC) Study
INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: To investigate if socio-economic disadvantage, at the individual- and country-level, is associated with heavier drinking in some middle- and high-income countries. DESIGN AND METHODS: Surveys of drinkers were undertaken in some high- and middle-income countries. Participating countries were Australia, England, New Zealand, Scotland (high-income) and Peru, Thailand and Vietnam (middle-income). Disadvantage at the country-level was defined as per World Bank (categorised as middle-or high-income); individual-level measures were (i) years of education and (ii) whether and individual was under or over the poverty line in each country. Measures of heavier drinking were (i) proportion of drinkers that consumed 8+ drinks and (ii) three drinking risk groups (lower, increasing and higher). Multi-level logistic regression models were used. RESULTS: Individual-level measures of disadvantage, lower education and living in poverty, were associated with heavier drinking, consuming 8+ drinks on a typical occasion or drinking at the higher risk level, when all countries were considered together. Drinkers in the middle-income countries had a higher probability of consuming 8+ drinks on a typical occasion relative to drinkers in the high-income countries. Interactions between country-level income and individual-level disadvantage were undertaken: disadvantaged drinkers in the middle-income countries were less likely to be heavier drinkers relative to those with less disadvantage in the high-income countries. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Associations between socio-economic disadvantage and heavier drinking vary depending on country-level income. These findings highlight the value of exploring cross-country differences in heavier drinking and disadvantage and the importance of including country-level measurements to better elucidate relationships
Alcohol environment protocol : a new tool for alcohol policy
Findings of the study show that in countries with fewer resources, alcohol policies are less effective because of lack of implementation and enforcement and, in the case of marketing, lack of regulation. This has implications for increases in consumption as a result of the expanding distribution and marketing of commercial alcohol and consequent increases in alcohol-related harm. This study uses the Alcohol Environment Protocol, an International Alcohol Control study research tool, which documents the alcohol policy environment by standardised collection of data from administrative sources, observational studies, and interviews with key informants to allow for cross-country comparison and change over time