Relationship Between Quality of Life and Occupational Health Literacy Among Informal Wood Furniture Workers in Thailand
Background: Informal wood furniture workers face various occupational health and safety risks that may impact their health and quality of life (QOL). Improving health literacy (HL) could help mitigate these risks. This study aims to assess HL levels and their relationship to QOL among this group in...
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| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Safety and Health at Work |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2093791124000866 |
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| author | Patcharin Chaisurin Weeraporn Suthakorn Kunlayanee Tantranon Anon Wisutthananon |
| author_facet | Patcharin Chaisurin Weeraporn Suthakorn Kunlayanee Tantranon Anon Wisutthananon |
| author_sort | Patcharin Chaisurin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Informal wood furniture workers face various occupational health and safety risks that may impact their health and quality of life (QOL). Improving health literacy (HL) could help mitigate these risks. This study aims to assess HL levels and their relationship to QOL among this group in Thailand. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 and involved 175 informal wood furniture workers employed in Ban Ma, Lamphun province, Thailand. Data collection instruments comprised the Occupational Health Literacy Questionnaire (TOHLS-IF) and a questionnaire assessing informal workers' QOL. Analysis encompassed descriptive statistics alongside partial correlation analysis (p < 0.05). Results: Respondents demonstrated high overall health literacy (2.34 ± 0.45). Considering eight dimensions of QOL in the sample, some variables, such as insufficient income, debt, and underlying disease, were prevalent at high percentages and seemed to diminish workers' QOL. After adjustment for gender, age, level of education, and work experience, most QOL dimensions correlated positively with workers' HL levels (p < 0.05); significant variables included career goal setting (rs = 0.27, p < 0.001), conflicts in workplace (rs = 0.20, p = 0.009), environmental satisfaction (rs = 0.41, p < 0.001), readiness to use internet (rs = 0.28, p < 0.001) and applications (rs = 0.29, p < 0.001), coworker's respect (rs = 0.15, p = 0.003), and goal setting to advance career (rs = 0.28, p < 0.001). No significant relationship was observed between prevalent QOL-diminishing factors and health literacy. Conclusion: The observed link between HL levels and multiple dimensions of QOL among informal wood furniture workers underscores the need for targeted interventions. Policymakers and social initiatives should focus on promoting health literacy and relevant skills to enhance QOL within this population. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fb506ba33f3d4297bbc921bd31073b6b |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2093-7911 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | Safety and Health at Work |
| spelling | doaj-art-fb506ba33f3d4297bbc921bd31073b6b2025-08-20T02:04:33ZengElsevierSafety and Health at Work2093-79112025-03-01161697410.1016/j.shaw.2024.11.007Relationship Between Quality of Life and Occupational Health Literacy Among Informal Wood Furniture Workers in ThailandPatcharin Chaisurin0Weeraporn Suthakorn1Kunlayanee Tantranon2Anon Wisutthananon3Corresponding author. Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand.; Nursing Division, Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, ThailandNursing Division, Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, ThailandNursing Division, Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, ThailandNursing Division, Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, ThailandBackground: Informal wood furniture workers face various occupational health and safety risks that may impact their health and quality of life (QOL). Improving health literacy (HL) could help mitigate these risks. This study aims to assess HL levels and their relationship to QOL among this group in Thailand. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 and involved 175 informal wood furniture workers employed in Ban Ma, Lamphun province, Thailand. Data collection instruments comprised the Occupational Health Literacy Questionnaire (TOHLS-IF) and a questionnaire assessing informal workers' QOL. Analysis encompassed descriptive statistics alongside partial correlation analysis (p < 0.05). Results: Respondents demonstrated high overall health literacy (2.34 ± 0.45). Considering eight dimensions of QOL in the sample, some variables, such as insufficient income, debt, and underlying disease, were prevalent at high percentages and seemed to diminish workers' QOL. After adjustment for gender, age, level of education, and work experience, most QOL dimensions correlated positively with workers' HL levels (p < 0.05); significant variables included career goal setting (rs = 0.27, p < 0.001), conflicts in workplace (rs = 0.20, p = 0.009), environmental satisfaction (rs = 0.41, p < 0.001), readiness to use internet (rs = 0.28, p < 0.001) and applications (rs = 0.29, p < 0.001), coworker's respect (rs = 0.15, p = 0.003), and goal setting to advance career (rs = 0.28, p < 0.001). No significant relationship was observed between prevalent QOL-diminishing factors and health literacy. Conclusion: The observed link between HL levels and multiple dimensions of QOL among informal wood furniture workers underscores the need for targeted interventions. Policymakers and social initiatives should focus on promoting health literacy and relevant skills to enhance QOL within this population.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2093791124000866Health literacyInformal wood furniture workersQuality of lifeThailand |
| spellingShingle | Patcharin Chaisurin Weeraporn Suthakorn Kunlayanee Tantranon Anon Wisutthananon Relationship Between Quality of Life and Occupational Health Literacy Among Informal Wood Furniture Workers in Thailand Safety and Health at Work Health literacy Informal wood furniture workers Quality of life Thailand |
| title | Relationship Between Quality of Life and Occupational Health Literacy Among Informal Wood Furniture Workers in Thailand |
| title_full | Relationship Between Quality of Life and Occupational Health Literacy Among Informal Wood Furniture Workers in Thailand |
| title_fullStr | Relationship Between Quality of Life and Occupational Health Literacy Among Informal Wood Furniture Workers in Thailand |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relationship Between Quality of Life and Occupational Health Literacy Among Informal Wood Furniture Workers in Thailand |
| title_short | Relationship Between Quality of Life and Occupational Health Literacy Among Informal Wood Furniture Workers in Thailand |
| title_sort | relationship between quality of life and occupational health literacy among informal wood furniture workers in thailand |
| topic | Health literacy Informal wood furniture workers Quality of life Thailand |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2093791124000866 |
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