Factors related to leptospirosis prevention behavior of the people in the area Pak Phanang Subdistrict, Eastern Side, Pak Phanang District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province.

Abstract

This study was a descriptive cross-sectional research aimed at examining the factors associated with leptospirosis preventive behaviors among residents of Pak Phanang East Subdistrict, Pak Phanang District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. The study sample consisted of 214 individuals aged 20–59 years, both male and female, who were engaged in occupations or activities involving contact with water or mud. This population was considered at risk of exposure to the bacteria that cause leptospirosis. Descriptive statistics—such as frequency, percentage, and mean—were used to describe the basic characteristics of the participants. Chi-square tests were employed to examine the relationships between personal factors, knowledge, attitudes, and leptospirosis preventive behaviors.

The findings revealed that the majority of participants had a high level of knowledge about leptospirosis (58.9%), and most had a highly positive attitude toward disease prevention (82.7%). Additionally, 53.8% of the participants demonstrated good preventive behaviors. These results indicate that residents in the area generally recognize and value the importance of preventing leptospirosis. However, further analysis found that age was the only personal factor significantly associated with preventive behaviors at the 0.05 level of statistical significance (p-value = 0.000). This suggests that individuals of different age groups may have varying levels of awareness or practices regarding disease prevention. In contrast, other factors—including gender, religion, marital status, education level, primary occupation, average monthly income, knowledge, and attitude—were not significantly associated with leptospirosis preventive behaviors. Therefore, this study highlights the importance of providing targeted health education and raising awareness, particularly among age groups at higher risk. It also underscores the need for ongoing support and promotion of behavior change strategies to ensure that individuals can effectively apply their knowledge in daily life, thereby reducing infection rates and the incidence of leptospirosis in the area.