Factors associated with state hospital utilisation among Thai elderly who had illnesses which needed hospitalisation.

Of the 4,480 elderly subjects in a multistage random sampling household survey of a National Survey of the Welfare of the Elderly in Thailand (SWET), 669 (14.9%) reported that they had been hospitalised during the last year and were recruited in an analysis which aimed to examine associated factors of state hospital utilisation among Thai elderly. Seventy eight per cent had been admitted once during the last year. Mean (standard deviation) duration of hospital stay during the last year was 11.9 (20.1) days. For the last period of hospitalisation, 532 elderly (79.5%) were admitted to state hospitals. One hundred and nineteen elderlies (17.8%) used private hospitals. Only 18 elderly (2.3%) used both state and private hospitals. According to the causes of hospitalisation, the elderly who used state hospitals were not more severely ill than those who used private hospitals. Nine univariate factors associated with state hospital utilisation were entered in a logistric regression model in which five independent determinants were identified including 'do not have electricity', 'heads of the family are not their children', 'do not have own savings', 'live in rural area', and 'have heard about free health care programme'. The Ministry of Public Health and organisations which are concerned with the elderly should allocate more resources to advertising a free health care programme for Thai elderly.

Falls and their associated factors: a national survey of the Thai elderly.

Of the 7,713 subjects aged 50 and over in a multistage random sampling national survey of Thailand, 4,480 Thai elders aged 60 and over were interviewed in a study which aimed to determine rate, characteristics and the associated factors of falls in the last six months. Eight hundred and thirty-six elders (18.7%) had one or more falls. Female elders (21.5%) fell more often than their male counterparts (14.4%). There was no association between age and falls among Thai elder population. Most of the falls occurred outside (65%) and during the day time (85%). Multiple regression analysis showed that independent factors associated with falls among male elder were a bad or fairly bad health, reported hypertension, problems with walking in the house, problems with crouching and a lack of electricity in the house. Independent factors associated with falls among female elders were a bad or fairly bad health, joint problems, illness which made her unable to have normal activities during the last year, problems with crouching, going to buy food everyday, very lonely feeling, having less than 3 meals a day, a lack of electricity in the house and living in a Thai style house or hut. This study revealed that environmental and intrinsic health factors which affected balance and gait were the main factors associated with falls among Thai elders. Nutritional status as a contributing factor to falling among elderly women was also suggested.

Quality control of condoms in Thailand: a case study.

The Thailand's Ministry of Public Health has implemented a series of measures to improve the quality of condoms. The main activities were: (1) issuance of a regulation requiring the labellings of the expiration date of condoms and setting a specification requirement on the physical properties of a standard condom to be imported into or manufactured in the country; (2) collaboration with concerned agencies and the private sector to enforce the ministerial regulation; (3) sampling of condoms for quality surveillance; and (4) intensive pre-marketing and post-marketing control programme. The results from the undertaking included: (1) 14-16 million pieces of inferior condoms were screened out of the market; (2) pre-marketing and post-marketing testing of condoms through scientific sampling and laboratory testing in 1993 found that 90 per cent and 89 per cent respectively passed which reflected a rapid increase from 75 per cent and 55 per cent in 1990; (3) active intersectoral collaboration and involvement of the private sector in quality control of condoms facilitated the pre-marketing and post-marketing control of condoms, as well as the screening and destroying of old lots of poor quality condoms; and (4) official designation of standard and criteria for determining the quality of condoms and packaging of condoms.