Association between selected family and social factors and health behavior of school-age children in Thailand

Abstract

Health behaviors of school going children are resulted in their grown-up health-risk behaviors, while little is known about health behavior of these young children. This study aimed to determine the association among selected family, social factors, and health behavior of school-age children. This analytical cross-sectional study resulted from a multi-stage random sampling, which was used to recruit the sample of 246 school-age children that were currently studying in grade four to six at several elementary schools in the municipal areas of Chon Buri, Thailand. Using self-report questionnaires collected data, where descriptive statistics, an univariate general linear model and Pearson correlation were used to analyze the data. It was found that mean scores of school-age children’s overall health behavior, its subscales of daily care, and social and risk behaviors were at moderate to high levels. Girls who were either the second-born children of children who were living in a family with two children had more appropriate health behaviors than boys who were either the first of the third of later born children, or children living in a family with one and three of more children, respectively. However, grade levels and types of family were not significantly different, whereas child temperament of task persistence and motor activity, social support, and perceived self-efficacy were significantly associated with health behavior. It was also shown that child age, temperament of negative reactivity, year of study, GPA, and family income were not significant correlation. These findings suggest that several family and social factors are associated with health behavior of school-age children in Thailand. Further studies are needed to deeply explore. Wellness policy focusing on health of school-age children and role of school nurses to influence individual, family and social resilience need to be reformed for enhancing and strengthen school-age children’s healthy behaviors.