ความรอบรู้ด้านสุขภาพและการจัดการตนเองของพระสงฆ์ที่มีภาวะเมแทบอลิกซินโดรม

Abstract

The incidence of metabolic syndrome among monks is increasing steadily. Adequate health literacy is necessary to enhance effective self-management among monks with metabolic syndrome so that they can maintain their health and well-being. The purpose of this descriptive research was to examine health literacy, self-management, and the relationship between health literacy and self-management among Buddhist monks with metabolic syndrome who received treatment at the outpatient ward of the Priest Hospital of Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital and the Priest Hospital, Bangkok. A sample of 110 monks with metabolic syndrome were recruited. Data were collected from September 2020 to September 2021. The research instruments consisted of a demographic and health record form, the health literacy assessment form and the self-management assessment of monks with metabolic syndrome form. Content validity and reliability were assessed, and values were accepted for all instruments. Data were analyzed through the SPSS program using descriptive statistics, along with Spearman's rank correlations. The results showed that: 1. The sample of monks with metabolic syndrome had a high level of overall health literary, with an average score of 45.22 points (SD = 6.85). When considering each level of health literacy, functional health literacy, interactive health literacy, and critical health literacy were at a high level with an average score of 15.04 (SD = 3.75), 15.95 (SD = 2.93), and 14.23 (SD = 2.52), respectively. 2. The sample of monks with metabolic syndrome had a high level of overall self-management with an average score of 149.44 points (SD = 15.29). When considering each component of self-management, medical management, role management, and emotional management were at a high level with an average score of 115.76 points (SD = 12.55), 18.56 (SD = 2.06), and 15.11 (SD = 2.97), respectively. 3. Health literacy had a moderate positive relationship with self-management among monks with metabolic syndrome (rs = .67) with statistical significance at .01. According to the results of this research, health literacy was associated with self-management among monks with metabolic syndrome. However, since monks have a specific lifestyle context, promoting health literacy through a process suitable for monks’ context is necessary because this will encourage monks with metabolic syndrome to be able to manage their health and well-being effectively.