Publication: Developing primary care occupational health services for informal sector workers in Thailand
Issued Date
2016-06-01
Resource Type
ISSN
17412617
14767503
14767503
Other identifier(s)
2-s2.0-84976546172
Rights
Mahidol University
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Action Research. Vol.14, No.2 (2016), 113-131
Suggested Citation
Kessarawan Nilvarangkul, Sara Arphorn, John F. Smith, Teerasak Phajan, Nusaraporn Kessomboon, Kesorn Thaewnongiew Developing primary care occupational health services for informal sector workers in Thailand. Action Research. Vol.14, No.2 (2016), 113-131. doi:10.1177/1476750315574351 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/43292
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Authors
Journal Issue
Thesis
Title
Developing primary care occupational health services for informal sector workers in Thailand
Abstract
© 2015, © The Author(s) 2015. This study demonstrates action research’s emancipatory traditions in enabling community stakeholders in rural Thai settings to increase self-reliance and collaboration in improving primary care occupational health services. Most of the Thai workforce are informal sector workers outside Thai labor law protections, health and safety regulatory frameworks, and without specific occupational health services to provide for work-related health needs. This project brought together community leader teams, village health volunteers and informal workers themselves to collaboratively develop community services for this underserved group. Significant changes were effected at community team level, with improvements in networking and community nurses’ health care for the workers and in their oversight and supervision of village health volunteers (VHVs) in the community. Most notably, VHVs’ self-confidence improved at providing illness prevention and health promotion support in workers’ homes and work settings congruent with their daily lifestyle and work schedules. Informal workers’ health self-care behaviors improved.