Effectiveness of an Elderly Care Program for Osteoarthritis Using Thai Traditional Medicine By Family Caregivers, Yangsisurat Sub-district, Yangsisurat District, Mahasarakham Province

Abstract

     This quasi-experimental research with two groups using pre-test and post-test design aimed to study the effectiveness of an elderly care program for osteoarthritis using Thai traditional medicine by family caregivers, Yangsisurat Sub-district, Yangsisurat District, Mahasarakham Province. The sample consisted of 80 elderly patients with osteoarthritis or "Lom Jab Pong Haeng", selected through purposive sampling based on inclusion criteria, divided into experimental and control groups of 40 participants each. Data collection tools included general information questionnaires, caregiver knowledge assessment forms for elderly osteoarthritis care, osteoarthritis assessment forms, and pain assessment forms. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Paired t-test, and Independent t-test. The research was conducted from July 2022 to June 2023.
     The results showed that after participating in the program, caregivers in the experimental group had significantly higher knowledge about elderly osteoarthritis care compared to the control group and their pre-program scores. The experimental group showed significantly lower mean osteoarthritis severity scores than the control group (Mean_experimental = 26.54 ± 11.20 VS Mean _control = 29.63 ± 12.06, p < 0.05) and significantly lower mean pain scores (Mean_experimental = 3.80 ± 3.25 VS Mean_control = 6.53 ± 3.25, p < 0.05). Furthermore, the experimental group showed significantly lower knee hyperextension and heel-to-buttock distance compared to pre-program measurements.