Association Between Physical Activity and Osteoarthritis of Knee with Quality of Life in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Older adults are relatively physically active compared to other age group. A lack of physical activity (PA) can cause chronic diseases including osteoarthritis of knee (OA knee) and might eventually reduce quality of life (QOL). This present study was aimed to investigate association between levels of PA and OA knee with levels of QOL in community-dwelling older adults. One thousand and sixty-seven community-dwelling older persons were recruited to this descriptive study. PA activity questionnaire was invented. Standardized Oxford knee score and World Health Organization's Quality of Life scale (WHOQOL-BREF) were used to measure OA knee and QOL levels. Results showed that levels of PA in older adults were significantly associated with levels of OKS (χ2 = 78.565, P-value < .001) and levels of OA knee in older adults were significantly associated with levels of overall QOL (χ2 = 57.738, P-value < .001). Pearson's correlation also showed interrelation among PA, OA knee, and QOL. In conclusion, PA, OA knee, and QOL are interrelated. Therefore, close monitoring and design of proper PA activity should be implemented in community-dwelling older adults with OA knee.

Pesticides use and health impacts on farmers in Thailand, Vietnam, and Lao PDR: Protocol for a survey of knowledge, behaviours and blood acetyl cholinesterase concentrations.

Pesticides use in Southeast Asia has increased steadily, driven by the growth of large-scale commercial farming, as well as a desire to maximise food production in rural subsistence economies. Given that use of chemical pesticides, such as organophosphates and carbamates, has known potential health impacts, there are concerns about the safety of agricultural workers, and a need for a better evidence base to underpin regulation and worker education. This study, undertaken in 9 districts in Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam, will interview agricultural workers to investigate how they use pesticides, their knowledge of risks and self-protective practices, and their self-reported illness symptoms. In each district researchers will recruit and interview 120 participants engaged in vegetable farming, who have recently used pesticides, making a total of 1080 subjects divided equally between the three study countries. Workers' degree of pesticides exposure will be determined from acetyl cholinesterase concentrations in capillary blood samples collected using field test kits, and these data will be analysed together with the interview findings. Country findings will be compared and contrasted, and general patterns noted. Knowledge gained about risky behaviours, self-protective practices and degree of association with serious pesticides exposure will assist policy makers and inform health improvement programmes.

Application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to Analyse and Detect the Risk of Chronic Diseases in the Elderly.

The prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in older people has been concerning in several ways. This study investigated the risks of health behaviour of elderly by applying the Geographic Information System (GIS) to analyse the risk of NCDs for the elderly in Thailand. METHODS: The survey investigated 1,006 elderly people in Chuen Chom District, Maha-Sarakham Province, Thailand. Kernel Density Estimation Surface was used for spatial analysis with 120 elderly by structured interviews concerning health behaviour to identify the risk of NCDs. RESULTS: It was found that in Lhao Dok Mai many elderly people had NCDs. The behaviour of the elderly creating risks of NCDs was drinking alcohol, smoking, lack of exercise, consuming excessive food, and stress. CONCLUSION: The risk areas for NCDs among the elderly were identified by GIS, therefore, local authorities should be supporting the elderly by using GIS to prevent any further severe cases of NCDs.

Solid Waste Management Solutions for a Rapidly Urbanizing Area in Thailand: Recommendations Based on Stakeholder Input.

Municipal solid waste is a significant problem, particularly in developing countries that lack sufficient infrastructure and useable land mass to process it in an appropriate manner. Some developing nations are experiencing a combination of issues that prevent proper management of solid waste. This paper reviews the management of municipal solid waste in northeast Thailand, using the Tha Khon Yang Sub-district Municipality (TKYSM) in Maha Sarakham Province as a case study. The combination of rapid population and economic growth and its associated affluence has led to an increase in the use of consumer items and a concomitant increase in the production of municipal solid waste. In the TKYSM there is pressure on local government to establish a suitable waste management program to resolve the escalating waste crisis. The aim of this study is to provide viable solutions to waste management challenges in the TKYSM, and potentially to offer guidance to other similar localities also facing the same challenges. It is well established that successful changes to waste management require an understanding of local context and consideration of specific issues within a region. Therefore, extensive community consultation and engagement with local experts was undertaken to develop an understanding of the particular waste management challenges of the TKYSM. Research methods included observations, one-on-one interviews and focus groups with a range of different stakeholders. The outcomes of this research highlight a number of opportunities to improve local infrastructure and operational capacity around solid waste management. Waste management in rural and urban areas needs to be approached differently. Solutions include: development of appropriate policy and implementation plans (based around the recommendations of this paper); reduction of the volume of waste going to landfill by establishing a waste separation system; initiation of a collection service that supports waste separation at source; educating the citizens of the municipality; and the local government staff, and for the local government to seek external support from the local temples and expertise from the nearby university.

Barriers to Effective Municipal Solid Waste Management in a Rapidly Urbanizing Area in Thailand.

This study focused on determining the barriers to effective municipal solid waste management (MSWM) in a rapidly urbanizing area in Thailand. The Tha Khon Yang Subdistrict Municipality is a representative example of many local governments in Thailand that have been facing MSWM issues. In-depth interviews with individuals and focus groups were conducted with key informants including the municipality staff, residents, and external organizations. The major influences affecting waste management were categorized into six areas: social-cultural, technical, financial, organizational, and legal-political barriers and population growth. SWOT analysis shows both internal and external factors are playing a role in MSWM: There is good policy and a reasonably sufficient budget. However, there is insufficient infrastructure, weak strategic planning, registration, staff capacity, information systems, engagement with programs; and unorganized waste management and fee collection systems. The location of flood prone areas has impacted on location and operation of landfill sites. There is also poor communication between the municipality and residents and a lack of participation in waste separation programs. However, external support from government and the nearby university could provide opportunities to improve the situation. These findings will help inform municipal decision makers, leading to better municipal solid waste management in newly urbanized areas.

Solid waste management in Thailand: an overview and case study (Tha Khon Yang sub-district).

Due to rapid urbanization, solid waste management (SWM) has become a significant issue in several developing countries including Thailand. Policies implemented by the Central Thai Government to manage SWM issues have had only limited success. This article reviews current municipal waste management plans in Thailand and examines municipal waste management at the local level, with focus on the Tha Khon Yang sub-district surrounding Mahasarakham University in Mahasarakham Province. Within two decades this area has been converted from a rural to an urban landscape featuring accommodation for over 45,000 university students and a range of business facilities. This development and influx of people has outpaced the government's ability to manage municipal solid waste (MSW). There are significant opportunities to improve local infrastructure and operational capacity; but there are few mechanisms to provide and distribute information to improve community participation in waste management. Many community-based waste management projects, such as waste recycling banks, the 3Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle), and waste-to-biogas projects have been abandoned. Additionally, waste from Tha Kon Yang and its surrounding areas has been transferred to unsanitary landfills; there is also haphazard dumping and uncontrolled burning of waste, which exacerbate current pollution issues.