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.

This study identifies the prevalence of binge drinking behaviour and the statistical relationship between local patterns and binge drinking behaviour among the working-age population in Thailand. This study was conducted using The Smoking and Drinking Behaviour Survey 2017 data set from the National Statistical Office of Thailand. Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA) were used to identify the spatial autocorrelation between surrounding areas, with binge drinking behaviour among the working-age population in Thailand. Findings showed that among the 61,708 participants, 11.47% engaged in binge drinking behaviour. There was aspatial global autocorrelation between the surrounding areas and binge drinking behaviour among the working-age population, with a Moran’s I value of 0.579. The LISA analysis indicated nine hotspots or high–high clusters. In Thailand, there is a cultural context that encourages risky behaviour such as drinking alcohol beyond the standards set by law. Therefore, to manage this problem efficiently and effectively, the public and private sectors and related agencies should raise awareness about the health effects of binge drinking and promote health literacy to local residents while engaging all sectors in managing alcohol behaviour in all areas. This type of approach is sustainable and can have long-term effects on society.

The health burden caused by smoking behaviour among older adults is an uncontrollable problem worldwide. In particular, the trend of smoking among the aging population is rapidly growing. It affects individuals, families, economies, and societies. Changes in health determinants influence the smoking behaviour of older adults who require health promotion so that they can take care of themselves. This cross-sectional study was performed using secondary data from the National Statistical Office of Thailand: Report of a survey of older adults in Thailand in 2017. The present study aimed to examine the health determinant factors associated with smoking behaviour of older adults in Thailand. Data were collected from 32,030 older adults using a structured questionnaire. Multi-level analysis was performed to identify the health determinants of smoking behaviour of older adults in Thailand by controlling the effect of other covariates. The results were presented as adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI). Among the 32,030 older adults, 15.11% of the respondents were smokers. Factors associated with smoking behaviour of older adults in Thailand were male sex (AOR: 6.36, 95% CI: 5.80–6.94, P-value < 0.001), younger age (AOR: 4.35, 95% CI: 3.59–5.25, P-value < 0.001), currently working status (AOR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.23–1.59, P-value < 0.001), very good physical health (AOR: 2.64, 95% CI:2.05-3.40, -value < 0.001), alcohol consumption (AOR: 7.06, 95% CI: 6.44–7.43, P-value < 0.001), and participation in group/club activities in the community (AOR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.08–1.28, P-value < 0.001). There were significant differences in the risk of smoking among the older adults according to their health conditions and socialisation levels. This outcome reinforces the need to be alert for and respond to sex-related differences in the risk pattern and protective factors for smoking in older adults. Thus, it is critical to establish and implement an active and effective tobacco control program to protect the health of older adults, particularly considering Thailand's measures towards chronic disease prevention and increased life expectancy.

Transgender students are vulnerable to mental and physical health problems, impacting their quality of life (QOL). This research aims to study the stigma influence on the QOL of male-to-female transgender university students in Northeastern Thailand. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 765 male-to-female transgender students selected from 17 universities of the Northeast of Thailand using a multistage random sampling to respond to a self-administered structured questionnaire. The generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) was performed to identify factors associated with quality of life when controlling the effects of covariates, presenting adjusted OR and 95% confidence intervals. Among 765 male-to-female transgender students, more than half of them had good QOL (52.81%; 95%CI = 49.25-56.33). The generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) observed that factors associated with good QOL including moderate-low stigmatization (adj.OR=6.39; 95%CI = 2.72-15.02), good health behaviors (adj.OR=1.88; 95%1.47-2.86), no stress problem (adj.OR=1.81; 95%CI = 1.30-2.51), good self-acceptance (adj.OR=1.67; 95%CI = 1.37-2.03) and good social environment (adj.OR=1.41; 95%CI = 1.13-1.76). These findings could provide data to support evidence for family, community, societal and relevant sectors under the Ministry of Public Health and Ministry of Education and local administration organizations to promote the quality of life in transgender people effectively.