Manyat Ruchiwit

A cross-sectional examination of growth indicators from Thai adolescent girls: Evidence of obesity among Thai youth?

Background: Few studies have examined growth data from adolescent girls in Southeast Asia and almost none have been carried out in Thailand. Thus this study examines growth data from Thai adolescent girls. Aim: Cross-sectional growth data from a sample of Thai girls were compared to reference data from healthy well-nourished girls. It is hypothesized that the reference girls will be taller and heavier than the Thai girls; however, the growth indicators will also indicate that obesity is present among Thai girls. Subjects and methods: Anthropometric and age at menarche data were collected from a sample of 319 adolescent girls ages 11–17 years living in suburban Thailand. Results: Thai girls are heavier than the reference girls at ages 11–13 years yet are shorter and lighter than the reference girls at ages 14–17 years. The data also reveal that 18.4% of the girls are overweight or obese as classified by the CDC BMI-for-age percentile growth curves. Conclusion: The findings suggest the presence of overweight and obesity among this adolescent Thai population. These data may reflect the impact of the improved economic situation of Thailand as well as the impact of body image concerns among these young girls.

Determinants affecting the well-being of people in the Greater Mekong Subregion countries.

The aim of this research was to examine the determinants/factors affecting the well-being of the Thai and Lao people, and the factors that predict the well-being of those respective peoples. Eight hundred and sixty participants were recruited from three major regions of Thailand and Laos and were selected using multistage random sampling. A self-reported well-being questionnaire was developed using the theoretical framework of Maslows hierarchy of needs, and a questionnaire assessing their perceptions/attitudes concerning the factors affecting their well-being was administered. The major findings were the following: (i) the factors affecting the well-being and the self-reported well-being of Thais and Laotians were significantly different; and (ii) the factors predicting the well-being of Thais included the living and working environment and the availability of medical information and technology at their hospitals. On the other hand, one of the factors predicting the well-being of Laotians was their attitudes toward their society and its cultural values. A comprehensive and system-wide review of mental-health policy planning to improve the well-being of people in Thailand and Laos in accordance with those predicted factors is recommended.

The effect of the one-to-one interaction process with group supportive psychotherapy on the levels of hope, anxiety and self-care practice for patients that have experienced organ loss: an alternative nursing care model.

This quasi-experimental research examined the effect of the one-to-one interaction process with group supportive psychotherapy on the levels of hope, anxiety and self-care practice for patients that have experienced organ loss. Eighty patients from the hospital units were selected by matched pairs and paired according to gender, interval of age, type and time length of organ loss. Simple-random sampling was used to allocate each subject in the experimental and control groups, which consisted of 40 pairs. Questionnaires included hope, anxiety and self-care practice assessments. The experimental treatments consisted of the one-to-one interaction process with group psychotherapy. The results showed that the patients that received treatments in the experimental group had higher mean scores regarding the differences in levels of hope, anxiety and self-care practice than those in the control group. This integrative approach is an alternative method for giving patients self-confidence in their self-care practice, in maintaining hope and in reducing anxiety. The method assisted patients in understanding their own problems and corrective actions so that they could be accepted by others by exchanging their feelings, thoughts, opinions and experiences through confrontation and self-exploration both individually and in group.

An analysis of the relationship between client and health professional perceptions of health status on the quality of the health service system and health status in Vietnam

Abstract This research aims to examine the relationships between internal and external determinants of the Vietnamese hospital and healthcare system and (a) the health service system and (b) the perceived health status of healthcare providers and clients from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Participants included 42 healthcare providers and 240 patients from Hue Central Hospital, Hue City Hospital, and Danang Hospital. Data were collected over a 4-week period in June 2012. The results revealed greatest predictors for clients’ perceptions about the health service system and health status in Vietnam were concerns about society and cultural values, medical information and technology, and the strengths and weaknesses of the hospital system were only society and cultural values, and the strengths and weaknesses of the hospital system were co-effective factors that predicted health status. Further, regarding the healthcare providers’ perception of health status, the only determinant, living, and working environment, was an effective factor in predicting the health status. These findings may be used as the basis for the analysis and application of health policy planning and appropriate strategies within Vietnam for promoting health and improving the performance of health service systems to meet the healthcare needs of its people. The findings suggest that Vietnamese do have concerns on the impact of trade and investment and medical information and technology on the quality of the health service system. Moreover, these findings will be further beneficial for knowledge development and application to regional study for the countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

Mental Health and Mental Disorder Recommendation Programs

Background: The characteristic differences among the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries in terms of trade and investment, society and cultural values, medical information and technology, and the living and working environ-ment have become major health problems in terms of mental disorders. The purpose of this article is to identify the gaps in those aspects, to propose mental health and mental disorder recommendation programs, and to recommend policies for policy makers and research investors. Methods: A comparative analysis and literature review of existing policy, including overviews of previous research were used to generate a synthesis of the existing knowledge of the mental health and mental disorder recommendation programs. Results: The review results recommend mental health and mental disorder programs for policy makers, research investors, and stakeholders in order to strengthen the directions for implementing these programs in the future. Conclusion: The healthcare provision in each country will not be limited only to its citizens; the healthcare markets and tar-get groups are likely to expand to the neighboring countries in the context of changes in domestic and international factors, which have both positive and negative impacts according to the political, economic, and social situations of the influencing countries.

The Spread of Obesity in Developing and Transitional Countries: A Focus on the Mekong Region, Southeast Asia

Introduction: Obesity policies in transitional countries are limited as most have needed to focus resources on reducing hunger, poverty, and infectious diseases. The Mekong Region is one such area that is still facing issues of undernutrition and infectious disease, yet has a growing population at risk of obesity related diseases. Such a dual burden creates a dilemma regarding which issue to address first, given limited resources. This review addresses this problem from a policy perspective. Materials and Methodology: Comparative analyses of literature reviews, existing policy, and previous research were synthesized among countries within the Mekong Region. Results: Traditional diets, quickly emerging fast food markets, and urbanization add levels of complexity to managing and creating obesity policy. Existing policies have not been successful and there are few measurable outcomes. Conclusion and Policy Implications: Obesity-related policies have been initiated in the Mekong Region, but with few resources and conflicting priorities, several countries are at risk of being left behind. Suggested policies in the region include utilizing mass media education campaigns, modeling other successful public health programs, and promoting culturally and regionally appropriate interventions.