Associations of the Neighborhood Environment With Substance Use: A Cross-sectional Investigation Among Patients in Compulsory Drug Detention Centers in Thailand / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: To identify the associations of characteristics of the neighborhood environment with substance abuse among clients receiving treatment for drug abuse in Thailand. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted of 1128 drug addicts from 28 neighborhoods who were receiving treatment at all 7 compulsory drug detention centers in Thailand. A trained interviewer conducted structured interviews with the subjects about substance use and the perceived neighborhood environment in their community. A multilevel logistic regression model was applied to estimate the effects of the neighborhood environment on substance use. RESULTS: The majority of participants, 53.8% only used methamphetamine pills, 31.3% used other illicit drugs as well as methamphetamine pills, and 14.9% used an illicit drug other than methamphetamine. Three neighborhood characteristics were associated with substance use. A 1-unit increase in the perceived neighborhood cohesion score was associated with a 15% reduction in methamphetamine pill use and an 11% reduction of the use of both methamphetamine pills and another illicit drug. Conversely, a 1-unit increase in perceived neighborhood crime predicted 19 and 14% increases in the use of methamphetamine pills and the use of both methamphetamine pills and another illicit drug, respectively. In addition, a 1-unit increase in the scores for stigma surrounding addiction corresponded to a 25% increase of the use of methamphetamine pills and a 12% increase in the use of both methamphetamine pills and another illicit drug. CONCLUSIONS: Substance use among drug addicts was influenced by characteristics of the neighborhood environment. Therefore, prevention and intervention strategies should be designed based on a consideration of the impact of neighborhood context on substance use behaviors.

Associations of the Neighborhood Environment With Substance Use: A Cross-sectional Investigation Among Patients in Compulsory Drug Detention Centers in Thailand / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES@#To identify the associations of characteristics of the neighborhood environment with substance abuse among clients receiving treatment for drug abuse in Thailand.@*METHODS@#A cross-sectional study was conducted of 1128 drug addicts from 28 neighborhoods who were receiving treatment at all 7 compulsory drug detention centers in Thailand. A trained interviewer conducted structured interviews with the subjects about substance use and the perceived neighborhood environment in their community. A multilevel logistic regression model was applied to estimate the effects of the neighborhood environment on substance use.@*RESULTS@#The majority of participants, 53.8% only used methamphetamine pills, 31.3% used other illicit drugs as well as methamphetamine pills, and 14.9% used an illicit drug other than methamphetamine. Three neighborhood characteristics were associated with substance use. A 1-unit increase in the perceived neighborhood cohesion score was associated with a 15% reduction in methamphetamine pill use and an 11% reduction of the use of both methamphetamine pills and another illicit drug. Conversely, a 1-unit increase in perceived neighborhood crime predicted 19 and 14% increases in the use of methamphetamine pills and the use of both methamphetamine pills and another illicit drug, respectively. In addition, a 1-unit increase in the scores for stigma surrounding addiction corresponded to a 25% increase of the use of methamphetamine pills and a 12% increase in the use of both methamphetamine pills and another illicit drug.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Substance use among drug addicts was influenced by characteristics of the neighborhood environment. Therefore, prevention and intervention strategies should be designed based on a consideration of the impact of neighborhood context on substance use behaviors.

Achievement in Personality and Ethics Development 1st year medical student, 1994 Academic year.

Objective1. To establish and develop personality in order to promote good leadership and member the essential merit and ethics that correlate to the social needs of students.2. To build up and create appropriate values in Thai society among the students themselves especially in terms of unity, affection and a sense of belonging to each other and to the Academic Institute.3. To develop the students in terms of Social, Emotional \& Moral behaviour so that they can adapt to the new society.4. Build up the sensitivity and responsibility of students society and to the country after graduation.Methods – Assigning the students to attend the 2 night camp,s activities.  There was an Analysis lecture of the present situation, social problems and human behaviour.  There was a video show about the Developemtn trends or the ‘new life’ Community Development.  Example of development experiences, leadership and human relations were raised.  There was a planning group meeting, arranging a project, self and family development activities,  The proposal of group and other activities from evaluation by collective observations, interviews and questionaires.  It has been found that to accomplish the target object.  The students program needed to be supplemented \& develop in order to get better personality, leadership and member, good merit \& ethics in society.  Appropriate values had to be emphasized such as unity, affection, relationships with one another, a price in the institute, adaptation to colleaques and the environment.  These values also include the feeling of responsibility for society that effect the entire country in the future. The recommendation from students and lecturers who attended this program is that it should have there activities for the 2 nd year and the 3 rd year students and there should be a chane of locations for demonstration.  The suggested place should be within a walking distance to the campus and provide proper accommodation and a conference room.  Interesting \& effective media should be used.  There main meals should be arranged and the light meal or snack could be reduced.  Public relations procedure should be advertised throughroughly and lecturers should participate in the activities, The evaluation should be done regularly so as to adjust and improve the weak points and consequently become the faculty policy Further more.  The academic program should include the merit and ethical teaching and the supplementary activities should be continuously administered until graduation.

Development of Appropriate Personality and Ethics in Medical Students.

Background:  The objective of this research was to evaluate the progressive behavior development of fourth and fifth year medical students based on their first to third year attendance at the seminars, “How to develop good personality qualities and ethics.”  The research focused on: 1. Behavioral differences between trained versus previous groups of students who had not been trained. 2. Whether and how the training actually affected student behavior. 3. Development of recommendations for future course.Method:   This was prospective cohort behavioral study.  The data were elicited from fourth and fifth year medical students using questionnaires, direct observations, and informal interviews.  They were compared with the collective subjective judgement of faculty members regarding former students who did not undergo the same training.Results:  Students who passed all of the training sessions had good relationships with teachers, colleagues patients, and family.  The tone of their conversation was positive.  Their behavior (manners and responsiveness to patients) and ethics (capacity to use appropriate medical techniques) were judged to be better than those students who had not been trained. We concluded that since the first three years of training are formative (with eagerness and newness), training in behavior and ethics at this time is well-received; allowing students to prepare themselves for the following more interactive clinical phase of medical education. Notwithstanding, the wholly subjective nature of the comparison of trained versus untrained students, all (100%) of the department heads and head nurses agreed that medical students should attend training in ethics and personal behavior development.  Similarly, 92% of the fourth and fifth year students were of the opinion that behavior and ethics training, both in class and at camp, should continue because they learned about economizing, psychology, manners, appropriate attire, public conduct, and respectfulness toward teachers, colleagues, seniors and juniorsKey words: Medical Students, Personality, Ethics

The Effectiveness of Teaching Patterns, Emphasizing Student Center Management Technique for Sex Education Course of Enrolled Students at Mahasarakham University

This quasi-experimental research aimed to evaluate sexual attitude, self perception of sexual behavior and effectiveness learning process of students who enrolled and studied in sex-education and family life preparation course (SFLP) in Mahasarakham University. The student samples were simple random sampling and divided into two groups such as experiment group (100 students) and control group (100 students) and the learning method in experimental group was integrative teaching with student center orientation while conventional teaching orientation in controlled group. The data were collected by using questionnaire and observing. The percentage, mean, standard deviation, independent sample t-test and pair sample t-test were applied for statistic used.Results found that: both experimental groups and control group are similar in sex and the average age of 19 years. Most of them who enrolled in SFLP achievement learning (GPAX) are moderate level (experimental group 63.0%, and control group 74%). The average difference achievement learning score after intervention found a statistical significant difference (p \< 0.001). Most of students have self perception on attitude, such as a female should remain a virgin until her wedding (experimental group 57.0% and control group 62.0%), sexual relationship during adolescence lead to parent’s disappointment (experimental group 57.0% and control group 61.0%), and better sexual relationship occurs when older than this (experimental group 42.0% and control group 44.0%). The sexual nude book is interesting (experimental group 42.0% and control group 44.0%), sexual arousal (experimental group 28.0% and control group 26.0%) and imitation were initialized by male adolescence and sexual intercourse decision (experimental group 25.0% and control group 23.0%). The perception for sexual behavior both male (73.4%) and female (75.0%) agree with their parents are the major role model for sexual adolescence explicit behavior such as having lover partnership (female 64.1%, male 62.5%) be normally behavior and get more opportunity for sexual behavior with other at entertainment and internet places (female 54.7%, male 38.8%). Loving couple should have sexual intercourse on Valentine’s Day (female 34.4%, male 19.4% ) and also be homosexual (female 60.1%, male 38.9%). The attitude level of students for teaching in this subject found that: the student center learning method let them open opportunity for more discussion (level good in experimental group 39% and control group 38%) and share experience about sexual theme. The appropriate sexual media (level good in experimental group 50% control group 26%) had mutual inclusion on sexual context and linkage knowledge and experience or virtual experience and student can get more skill on human sex (level good in experimental group 36% control group 37%).The conclusion of the student center learning method management in SFLP gives more learning participatory, knowledge and attitude also right sexual skill perception.

The Relationship of Serum Resistin Concentration and Body Mass Index (BMI) of Obese Adolescent in Mahasarakam Province

Resistin is a newly discovered peptide hormone with impact on insulin sensitivity was proposed as a new mechanism to explain the pathogenic sequence of adipocyte-obesity-insulin resistance. This research aimed to determine serum resistin concentration levels in adolescents and the relationship between resistin concentration and body mass index (BMI), in selected high school students in Mahasarakam province. The research protocol and 77 consented students who enrolled in this study were ethical approved by Mahasarakam research ethic committee division. The students weight, height, BMI, fasting blood sugar (FBS) and triglyceride (TG) were examined during March to June 2008. This study found that: 16 male and 61 female adolescent students with average weight 71.27±13.87 kg, height 1.6±0.07 m, BMI 27.67±4.24 kg/m² , biceps skinfold thickness 15.27±6.89 mm, triceps skinfold thickness 23.55±7.54 mm, TG 77.13±43.92 mg/dL, FBS 87.74±8.21 mg/dL and resistin 5.69±0.93 mg/dL. The weight and height of male is higher than female (p =0.003, p \< 0.001 respectively), but biceps skinfold thickness, triceps skinfold thickness, TG of female is higher than male. Resistin was detected in female; concentrations ranged from 3.83 mg/dL to 7.82 mg/dL and in male 3.91 mg/dL to 6.52 mg/dL. In female resistin levels were higher (5.87±0.84) than male (4.98±0.94) (p \< 0.001). The relationship analysis found that: resistin serum levels in both male and female related to BMI, biceps skinfold thickness, triceps skinfold thickness statistical significantly. The furthermore it should be the parameter used as association of serum resistin with markers of obesity (eg. weight, BMI, FBS) was strongly statistical significantly (p \< 0.05) in both gender groups, this may be determinant to indicated insulin resistance prior fasting blood sugar was elevated, but vise-versa for FBS in male.

Perception on Partial Androgen Deficiency and Erectile Dysfunction Status among the Aging Male Population in Maha Sarakham Province

This study aimed to examine 339 subjects as an aging male group.Their age’s were between 40-60 year old and all lived in Mahasarakham Province. stratified with simple random sampling. All 339 subjects were investigated by using modified Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM): of International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF5): a 5-Years Review of Research and Clinical Experience or (SHIM-IIEF5) questionnaire to reveal the self perception on partial androgen deficiency in aging male and erectile dysfunction status during May to June 2007. The findings show that most of them were not self perceiving for partial androgen deficiency as physical, vasomotor, sexual health and psychological symptom which are 62.18%, 81.12%, 90.27% and 57.82% respectively. The erectile dysfunction status among these subjects was 60.16%. This investigation also found that the only relationship between risk behavior and self perception on partial androgen deficiency in aging males was coffee drinking. Smoking, alcohol-drinking and drug abuse do not have a significant physical symptom relationship with subjects who perceiving for erectile dysfunction.

An Evaluation of the Emergency Medical Services System Involving Road Traffic of Nakhonphanom Hospital, Nakhon Phanom Province, Northeastern Thailand

Road traffic accidents are important problems impacting economic, social, and public health conditions of the country. The quality emergency medical service system can decrease rates of injuries, deaths and conditions of the disabled from illnesses of emergent accidents. This descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the emergency medical service system involving road traffic of Nakhonphanom Hospital, Nakhon Phanom Province using the CIPP Model by studying from 100 administrators, practitioners, and service users according to the emergency medical service system. The sample was obtained using the accidental random sampling technique from service users. The instrument were a questionnaire and an interview form. Data were collected from November 2006 to 31 March 2007. The statistical values were percentage, mean, standard deviation, and t-test. The study results are as following: The work outcomes of coverage of providing services and registration of the local administrative organizations have not pass the standard criteria. The opinions as a whole in terms of context of the administrator, practitioners and service users were at a low level. In terms of input, the administrators, practitioners and service users had their opinions as a whole at a high level. In terms of process, the administrators, practitioners, and service users had their opinions as a whole at a high level. In terms of product as a whole of the service users in satisfaction, they had opinions at a high level. In the opinions involving efficiency of the service users, the following were found. Accidents were notified to the service unit by telephone number 1669 at 64 percent. Data sources which knew the emergency medical service system were obtained from hygiene media at 71.43 percent. The service users according to all this system viewed that this system should continue operating. For the results of comparing opinions between the administrator and the practitioners in context and process according to the emergency medical service system involving road traffic, their opinions were not found to be different (p \> .05). In term of input, the administrator had higher opinions than the practitioners at the 0.05 level of significance. In conclusion, in context the opinions of the administrator, practitioner, and service users, and in input the opinions of the practitioners as a whole were at a low level. In input the opinions of the administrator and service users and in process the opinions of the administrator, practitioner, and service users as a whole were at a high level. The results of this study allowed us to know that participation of all the parties involved and of the people was an important factor which should be supported. Allocation of adequate resources for operation in this system would affect provision of services according to the emergency medical service system to people who had road accidents.