HEALTH LITERACY COMPONENTS AFFECTING PREVENTIVE BEHAVIORS TOWARDS PM 2.5 DUST AMONG RESIDENTS IN CHIANGKHONG DISTRICT, CHIANG-RAI PROVINCE

Abstract

This cross-sectional analytical research was designed to examine the components of health literacy affecting PM 2.5 dust preventive behaviors. The samples were 321 residents, aged 18 years and over, living in Chiang Khong District, Chiang Rai Province. The data collection tool was a questionnaire. The results of the study indicated that factors having statistically significantly related to PM 2.5 dust preventive behaviors (p-value < 0.05) included age (r = 0.211), level of education, information access skills (r = 0.191), knowledge and understanding skills (r = 0.345) and media literacy skills (r = 0.542).In addition, factors that had significantly affected PM 2.5 dust preventive behaviors (p-value < 0.05), which could predict PM 2.5 dust preventive behaviors by 37.9 percent, were age (beta = 0.534), information access skills (beta = 0.419), media literacy skills (beta = 0.228) and knowledge and understanding skills (beta = 0.181). From the study results, those related agencies can use for conducting various activities to promote more health literacy to encourage residents to increase PM 2.5 dust preventive behaviors.