Wongkongdech Ranee, Puangpronpitag Darunee, Srisaknok Tharinee, Tudpor Kukiat, Turnbull Niruwan, Chanthamath Souksathaphone, Wongkongdech Adisorn
Faculty of Medicine, Mahasarakham University, Mueang Maha Sarakham 44150, Maha Sarakham, Thailand.
International and National Collaborative Network and Innovation for Community Health Development Research Unit (INCNI-CHD), Mahasarakham University, Mueang Maha Sarakham 44150, Maha Sarakham, Thailand.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025 Jul 31;22(8):1206. doi: 10.3390/ijerph22081206.
Thailand is rapidly transitioning into an aging society, creating an intergenerational caregiving gap that strains existing support systems. This study evaluated the effectiveness of "Young Care," a community-based intervention designed to enhance youth knowledge, attitudes, and caregiving practices (KAP) toward older adults. A two-day structured training was conducted in Maha Sarakham Province in 2023 using a pre-post mixed-methods design. Middle and high school students participated in lectures, multimedia sessions, and experiential learning activities related to caregiving. Quantitative data were collected using validated KAP questionnaires, while qualitative insights were obtained from focus group discussions involving students, older persons, caregivers, and local leaders. Post-intervention analysis revealed significant improvements in knowledge and attitudes ( < 0.001), accompanied by increased empathy, caregiving initiative, and a sense of moral responsibility among participants. The initiative fostered formal partnerships among schools, local governments, healthcare providers, and universities through memoranda of understanding. These collaborations enabled budgetary support and outreach to out-of-school youth, positioning "Young Care" as a scalable, youth-centered strategy to address Thailand's long-term care challenges.
泰国正在迅速步入老龄化社会，造成了代际照料差距，给现有的支持系统带来了压力。本研究评估了“青年照料”项目的有效性，这是一项基于社区的干预措施，旨在提高青少年对老年人的知识、态度和照料行为（知识、态度和行为）。2023年在玛哈沙拉堪府采用前后混合方法设计进行了为期两天的结构化培训。中学生和高中生参加了与照料相关的讲座、多媒体课程和体验式学习活动。使用经过验证的知识、态度和行为问卷收集定量数据，同时通过涉及学生、老年人、照料者和当地领导人的焦点小组讨论获得定性见解。干预后分析显示，知识和态度有显著改善（<0.001），参与者的同理心、照料主动性和道德责任感增强。该项目通过谅解备忘录促进了学校、地方政府、医疗服务提供者和大学之间的正式伙伴关系。这些合作实现了预算支持并拓展到校外青年，使“青年照料”成为应对泰国长期照料挑战的一项可扩展的、以青年为中心的战略。
