Knowledge, attitudes, and practices about tuberculosis and choice of communication channels in Thailand.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to assess tuberculosis (TB) knowledge, attitudes, and practices in both the general population and risk groups in Thailand. METHODOLOGY: In a cross-sectional survey, a general population (n = 3,074) and family members of a TB patient (n = 559) were randomly selected, using stratified multistage sampling, and interviewed. RESULTS: The average TB knowledge score was 5.7 (maximum = 10) in the Thai and 5.1 in the migrant and ethnic minorities general populations, 6.3 in Thais with a family member with TB, and 5.4 in migrants and ethnic minorities with a family member with TB. In multivariate linear regression among the Thai general population, higher education, higher income, and knowing a person from the community with TB were all significantly associated with level of TB knowledge. Across the different study populations, 18.6% indicated that they had undergone a TB screening test. Multivariate logistic regression found that older age, lower education, being a migrant or belonging to an ethnic minority group, residing in an area supported by the Global Fund, better TB knowledge, having a family member with TB, and knowing other people in the community with TB was associated having been screened for TB. CONCLUSION: This study revealed deficiencies in the public health knowledge about TB, particularly among migrants and ethnic minorities in Thailand. Sociodemographic factors should be considered when designing communication strategies and TB prevention and control interventions.

The provincial health office as performance manager: change in the local healthcare system after Thailand's universal coverage reforms.

This paper examines the implementation of Thailand's universal coverage healthcare reforms in a rural province, using data from field studies undertaken in 2003-2005 and 2008-2011. We focus on the strand of policy that aimed to develop primary care by allocating funds to contracting units for primary care (CUPs) responsible for managing local service networks. The two studies document a striking change in the balance of power in the local healthcare system over the 8-year period. Initially, the newly formed CUPs gained influence as 'power followed the money', and the provincial health offices (PHOs), which had commanded the service units, were left with a weaker co-ordination role. However, the situation changed as a new insurance purchaser, the National Health Security Office, took financial control and established regional outposts. National Health Security Office outposts worked with PHOs to develop rationalised management tools-strategic plans, targets, KPIs and benchmarking-that installed the PHOs as performance managers of local healthcare systems. New lines of accountability and changed budgetary systems reduced the power of the CUPs to control resource allocation and patterns of services within CUP networks. Whereas some CUPs fought to retain limited autonomy, the PHO has been able to regain much of its former control. We suggest that implementation theory needs to take a long view to capture the complexity of a major reform initiative and argue for an analysis that recognises the key role of policy networks and advocacy coalitions that span national and local levels and realign over time.

Using economic levers to change behaviour: the case of Thailand's universal coverage health care reforms.

Thailand's universal coverage health care policy has been presented as a knowledge-based reform involving substantial pre-planning, including expert economic analysis of the financing mechanism. This paper describes the new financing system introduced from 2001 in which the Ministry of Public Health allocated monies to local Contracted Units for Primary Care (CUPs) on the basis of population. It discusses the policy intention to use capitation funding to change incentive structures and engineer a transfer of professional staff from over-served urban areas to under-served rural areas. The paper utilises qualitative data from national policy makers and health service staff in three north-eastern provinces to tell the story of the reforms. We found that over time government moved away from the original capitation funding model as the result of (a) a macro-allocation problem arising from system disturbance and professional opposition, and (b) a micro-allocation problem that emerged when local budgets were not shared equitably. In many CUPs, the hospital directors controlling resource allocation channelled funds more towards curative services than community facilities. Taken together the macro and micro problems led to the dilution of capitation funding and reduced the re-distributive effects of the reforms. This strand of policy foundered in the face of structural and institutional barriers to change.

Universal coverage in the land of smiles: lessons from Thailand's 30 Baht health reforms.

Thailand became one of a handful of lower-middle-income countries providing universal health care coverage when it introduced reforms in 2001. Following the 2006 military coup, the coverage reforms are being reappraised by Thai policymakers. In this paper we take the opportunity to assess the program's achievements and problems. We describe the characteristics of the universal insurance program--the 30 Baht Scheme--and the purchaser-provider system that Thailand adopted.