POLICY DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES FOR THAI TRADITIONAL MEDICINE AND HERBS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH CARE IN NA SIAO SUBDISTRICT, MUEANG DISTRICT, CHAIYAPHUM

Abstract

This research had the objectives 1) to study public health care through Thai traditional medicine and herbs, 2) to study the policy development guidelines for Thai traditional medicine and herbs, and 3) to propose policy recommendations for the development of Thai traditional medicine and herbs for public health care. This was mixed-method research. The concept of Thai traditional medicine and herbs was employed as a research framework. The sample consisted of 417 people in Na Siew Subdistrict and 20 key informants, namely executives and relevant officials through stratified sampling and simple random sampling in each village. 3 research instruments were employed: 1) Thai traditional medicine and herbal health care questionnaire, 2) the interview form, and 3) focus group discussion records. Data were analyzed with basic statistics. For quantitative research, frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation were employed. For qualitative research, content analysis was performed along with descriptive narrative writing. The research findings revealed that 1) the overall average score of people's health care with Thai traditional medicine and herbs was at a high level (= 4.23, SD. = 0.25). 2) Three policy development guidelines for Thai traditional medicine and herbs included a structural management system and policy implementation for effective personnel management and development and integrated promotion of systematic treatment of people's health with traditional Thai medicine and herbs. 3) Policy recommendations included a clear strategic plan on Thai traditional medicine and herbs, the promotion of knowledge of personnel to standard, internationally standardized service system, and research on Thai traditional medicine and herbs along with collaboration with network partners. The body of knowledge and findings from this research led to the policy of Thai traditional medicine and herbs for people's effective health care.