บริบททางนิเวศวิทยา, วิถีชีวิต, ความเชื่อทางวัฒนธรรมและประสบการณ์เกี่ยวกับไข้เลือดออกของชาวกะเหรี่ยง : การวิจัยเชิงคุณภาพ กรณีศึกษาในจังหวัดกาญจนบุรี

Abstract

This qualitative study aims to understand the ecological context, lifestyle, cultural beliefs and experiences related to dengue hemorrhagic fever among Karen families of a community in Kanchanaburi Province.An in-depth interview and observation were used to collect data from families with and without DHF experiences. The study lasted for four months (November 2556 to February 2557) Results of the study show that dengue hemorrhagic fever has a steady high prevalence among Karen people. Ecological factors such as a close proximity of houses, building materials of the houses that cannot prevent mosquitos and insects getting into the houses, narrow and limited spaces inside the house with no windows and enough light, waste like foam boxes, cans, plastic bags, being thrown or left around and under the houses and water containers like earth jars, cement tanks and plastic bins etc all of these became breeding places for Aedes aegypti that has led to the prevalence of DHF. Besides, daily life of the villagers, such as working in the rubber plantation in the nighttime and resting/sleeping during the daytime, all were found to be factors contributing to a higher risk of getting DHF in Karen people. Moreover, the people studied were also found to believe that DHF is caused by spirits and mosquitos cannot be eliminated. Based on the findings that ecological context determines house construction, water use behavior, and waste management as well as the consumption of urban products etc, and this leads to the widespread mosquito breeding places and DHF. This study recommends more awareness of these factors in the design of DHF prevention and control measures, especially the emphasis on community participation.