Health Literacy and Its Related Determinants in Migrant Health Workers and Migrant Health Volunteers: A Case Study of Thailand, 2019

Hathairat Kosiyaporn, Sataporn Julchoo, Pigunkaew Sinam, Mathudara Phaiyarom, Watinee Kunpeuk, Nareerut Pudpong and Rapeepong Suphanchaimat
Additional contact information
Hathairat Kosiyaporn: International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
Sataporn Julchoo: International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
Pigunkaew Sinam: International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
Mathudara Phaiyarom: International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
Watinee Kunpeuk: International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
Nareerut Pudpong: International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
Rapeepong Suphanchaimat: International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 6, 1-11

Abstract: Migrant health workers (MHWs) and migrant health volunteers (MHVs) are key health workforce actors who play a substantial role in improving the health of migrants in Thailand. The objective of this study was to explore the factors associated with health literacy in MHWs and MHVs in Thailand. A self-administered questionnaire was conducted from December 2018 to April 2019 in two migrant-populated provinces. A total of 40 MHWs, 78 MHVs, and 116 general migrants were included in the survey. Results showed that a higher education level was associated with a greater health literacy score. MHWs were more likely to have a higher health literacy score (5.59 points difference) than general migrants. The province per se and type of affiliations did not significantly contribute to the difference in the health literacy score of each individual. Most MHWs received health information from health professionals, health staff, and the internet, while MHVs and general migrants received information from health professionals, MHWs/MHVs, family/friends, and posters/leaflets. This study suggests that a higher education level should be used as a criterion for recruitment of MHWs and MHVs. Access to interactive health information like health professionals should be promoted as the main source of information to ensure better health literacy among MHWs and MHVs.

Keywords: migrant health worker; migrant health volunteer; health literacy; Thailand (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/6/2105/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/6/2105/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:6:p:2105-:d:335538

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().