Relationship between Caregiver Characteristics and Desirable Health Behaviours of Thai Older Persons

Abstract

The research aims to study the desirable health behaviors of Thai elderly and to investigate the relationship between caregiver characteristics and the desirable health behaviors of Thai older persons. The study was conducted using quantitative research methodology and utilizing secondary data from the 2021 National Elderly Population Survey in Thailand, conducted by the National Statistical Office. The sample consisted of elderly individuals aged 60 and above who had caregivers for daily living, totaling 4,063 participants. Data analysis was performed using frequency counts, percentages, means, and binary logistic regression analysis. The findings revealed that nearly all Thai older persons engage in exercise-related activities (including physically demanding work), alcohol consumption, and smoking to varying degrees (91.78%, 95.57%, and 96.01%, respectively). Most Thai older persons reported drinking clean water at least eight glasses a day or more (60.85%), while a significant majority—three out of four—did not consume vegetables or fruits regularly (74.85%). The caregiver characteristics, including gender, age, relationship to the elderly, highest education level, living arrangements, average monthly income, training for elderly care, hours spent caregiving per week, and attitudes towards elderly care, were all significantly related to the desirable health behaviors of Thai older persons at 0.05 statistical significance level, except for job resignation which showed no correlation with any health desirable behavior aspects.