The perception of the benefits of herbal medicine consumption among the Thai elderly.

OBJECTIVES: To determine how the Thai elderly perceived the benefits of herbal medicine consumption and to study related variables influencing their perception. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was used. PARTICIPANTS/SETTINGS: 419 participants were chosen by systematic stratified sampling; people between 60-96 years of age (mean age 70.2 years); 68.3 % female, and 31.7% male of Chonburi Province (Thailand). MEASUREMENTS: To determine the elderly perception about the benefits of herbal medicine consumption, a scale from one to four based upon 12 simply worded item check lists was used among the others. The questionnaires were conducted in June to August 2008 in 3 different regions (urban, suburban and rural areas). RESULTS: 97.4% having used herbal medicines in many ways. Most of the elderly used the local herbals together with conventional medicines. They believed that herbals could reduce expenses (51%), cure diseases (41.9%), relieve symptoms (35.4%), and provide good health (33.6%). A 16.7% of the elderly had the strongest opinion regarding the use of herbal medicines as substitutes for conventional medicines. They also strongly agreed on using them as nutrients (39.8%). The study found significant correlation among levels of education, stress levels, happiness levels, and perception of benefits of herbal medicine consumption. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that levels of education, happiness, and stress could influence the perception of herbal medicine consumption. Knowing how people perceive herbal medicine, its use, and local culture can help practicing health professionals, among other things, to avoid side effects from prescriptions and so maintain or promote the elderly health status.

Maintaining caregiving at home: a culturally sensitive grounded theory of providing care in Thailand.

Grounded theory methodology was used to generate a substantive theory that describes and explains the caregiving process of Thai caregivers for their elderly stroke relatives. Data were collected from a purposive sample of 20 family caregivers living in Chachoengsao province, Thailand, by using interviews, observations, and the primary researcher's memos. The central idea emerging from the data was maintaining caregiving at home that encompassed these seven contextual situations: (a) caregiving as an integral part of life; (b) caregiving as an unavoidable task; (c) caregiving with love, sympathy, and attachment; (d) family and kinship support; (e) community support; (f) managing treatment; and (g) managing problems and difficulties. Culture, tradition, and religion dominated throughout these situations. Application of the theory is discussed relative to providing culturally sensitive nursing education, intervention, and research.