Ladawan Chutimakul, Suchitra Sukonthasab, Thanomwong Kritpet and Chanai Vannalee
Aging population is on the rise around the world. Strategies to improve quality of life in this population are being implemented. Exercise is one of those strategies that has been…
Abstract
Purpose
Aging population is on the rise around the world. Strategies to improve quality of life in this population are being implemented. Exercise is one of those strategies that has been proven to be effective as it produces many health benefits. The purpose of this paper is to determine the effects of Khon exercise on functional fitness in older persons.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 44 older people aged 60–65 years were recruited through a senior club in an urban area. They were divided into two groups: the Khon exercise group (performed exercise for 12 weeks, 60 min/day, 3 times/week) and the control group (engaged in routine physical activity). The Senior Fitness Test, which consisted of chair stand, arm curl, 2-min step, chair sit and reach, back scratch, 8-ft up and go, and body mass index, was performed before and at 12 weeks after the exercise.
Findings
After 12 weeks of training, significant differences in chair stand, 2-min step, chair sit and reach, and 8-ft up and go tests were noted between the exercise and control groups.
Originality/value
These findings showed that Khon exercise has positive effects on lower body strength and flexibility, aerobic endurance and balance. Hence, it is recommended for health promotion among older persons.
Details
Keywords
Raweewan Maphong, Kasem Nakhonket and Suchitra Sukonthasab
This study aimed to explore knowledge, attitude, behavior and causes of sedentary behavior (SB) among office workers and guidelines for active office intervention.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to explore knowledge, attitude, behavior and causes of sedentary behavior (SB) among office workers and guidelines for active office intervention.
Design/methodology/approach
The study was comprised of a survey and an interview. In total, 39 nonacademic office workers responded to the Past-day Adults Sedentary Time-University (PAST-U) and workplace sitting break (SITBRQ) questionnaire to measure SB level, sitting bout, frequency and duration of sitting interrupted in 1 h and in whole working hours. Eleven executives and staffs participated in in-depth interviews to understand knowledge, attitude, behavior and cause of SB and guidelines for active office intervention.
Findings
Participants commonly spend most of their working time in SB (383.85 ± 93.03 min or 6 h 23 min). The interview indicated that at an individual level, participants lack knowledge and understanding of SB. The most common causes of SB are huge workload, personal characteristics and the weather. At the organizational level, there is no policy, no support from colleagues or organizations, while the physical environment is not conducive to reducing SB.
Originality/value
The outcomes of the study are used as basic information and guidelines for establishing an active office intervention in accordance with the culture and context of Thai society. There have been studies in Thailand that examine SB but no studies that have been conducted to study basic information on knowledge, attitudes, behaviors and causes of SB to be used in planning active office intervention to reduce SB.
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Potchara Chinnasee, Suchitra Sukonthasab and Nattaporn Lawthong
The purpose of this study is to develop a reliable test metric that can ascertain health literacy as it relates to hypertension in the population of Thailand.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to develop a reliable test metric that can ascertain health literacy as it relates to hypertension in the population of Thailand.
Design/methodology/approach
One thousand five hundred patients from hypertension clinics in hospitals under the Ministry of Public Health, Thailand were recruited to this study. The test was developed and divided into three latent variables and four observed variables for health literacy concepts. Indexes of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) from seven experts and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the entire questionnaire were evaluated for content validity and reliability. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis with LISREL also analyzed for construct validity.
Findings
The result illustrates that the Item-Objective Congruence was 0.68, and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.87. The result also shows that Barlett’s Test of Sphericity was 3129.31 (p < 0.01), and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was 0.83. The model was fit to empirical data (Chi-square = 0.02).
Originality/value
This study concludes that the Thai Hypertension Health Literacy Assessment Tool (THHLA) created as a result of the study is valid and reliable. The test can be used to evaluate health literacy for hypertension patients in Thailand.