Factors Associated with Health-Promoting Behaviors Using Complementary Medicine Among the Elderly with Knee Osteoarthritis in Thoen District, Lampang Province.

Abstract

     This study aimed to investigate health-promoting behaviors using complementary medicine among elderly individuals with knee osteoarthritis and the factors associated with such behaviors in Thoen District, Lampang Province. The study was conducted from August 2023 to December 2023. A total of 302 elderly individuals with primary knee osteoarthritis participated in the study. Data were collected through interviews using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression at a significance level of p<0.05.

     The findings revealed that health-promoting behaviors using complementary medicine were at a moderate level (Mean = 49.97, S.D. = 5.87), with professional medical system utilization at a moderate level, traditional medicine at a low level, and community-based medicine at a low level. Logistic regression analysis identified significant factors associated with health promoting behaviors using complementary medicine (p-value < 0.05). Accessibility to complementary medical services was a significant factor, as individuals with high accessibility were 9.45 times more likely to engage in high-level health-promoting behaviors than those with moderate or low accessibility (95% CI AOR: 2.84-31.48, p-value < 0.001). Decision-making in the use of complementary medicine was another key factor, with individuals who actively decided to use complementary medicine being 3.60 times more likely to engage in high-level health-promoting behaviors than those with moderate or low decision-making levels (95% CI AOR: 1.26-10.26, p-value = 0.016). Additionally, social support played a crucial role, as those receiving high levels of social support were 4.83 times more likely to engage in high-level health-promoting behaviors compared to those with moderate or low support (95% CI AOR: 1.01-23.12, p-value = 0.049).