Developing Health Communication Model for Enhancing Well-Being among Older Adults in Jatujak, Bangkok during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic

Abstract

The purposes of this mixed methods research are to 1)  explore the problems and needs for enhancing well-being among older adults in Jatujak, Bangkok during the COVID-19 pandemic 2) analyze the behavior of information exposure about enhancing well-being among older adults in Jatujak, Bangkok during the COVID-19 pandemic 3) develop health communication model for enhancing well-being among older adults in Jatujak, Bangkok during the COVID-19 pandemic 4) test out public health communication model for enhancing well-being among older adults in Jatujak, Bangkok during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample group in the quantitative research is 400 older adults in Jatujak, Bangkok. Participants in qualitative research were 10 older adults in Senanikom II community. The group of 40 older adults who participated in experimental research is divided into 2 groups: 20 experimental group and 20 control group. The research found that 1) the sample had physical and mental health problems. The problem faced during the COVID-19 pandemic is physical condition. Overall, it is at a high level. In terms of mental, social, and intellectual conditions were at a moderate level. As for the health needs of the sample in terms of health knowledge, health care needs and the needs of media and communication technology for health, overall, it is at a high level. 2) information exposure behavior among older adults in Jatujak, Bangkok during the COVID-19 pandemic overall is at a high level. When considering each type of media, it was found that the media which the sample used in high level of information exposure were television, followed by personal media and social media. 3) developing health communication model for enhancing well-being among older adults in Jatujak, Bangkok during COVID-19 pandemic is Participation-Focused Health Communication Model by using horizontal one-way health communication process 4) the results of an experiment using the health communication model for enhancing well-being among older adults in Jatujak, Bangkok during the COVID-19 pandemic can affect well-being among older adults, the average health score of the experimental group was significantly higher than before the experiment at the .05 level. As for the satisfaction level of the sample towards the health communication model used in the trial for enhancing the well-being of older adults in Jatujak, Bangkok during the COVID-19 pandemic as a whole is at a high level.