A Community Participation Model for Addressing the Purchase of Mixed Medicines from Grocery Stores Jebilang Subdistrict, Mueang District, Satun Province

Abstract

This research and development project aimed to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a community participation model to address the issue of purchasing mixed medicine from grocery stores. The study was divided into three phases: 1) investigating the current situation regarding the purchase of mixed medications from grocery stores; 2) developing a community participation model to solve the problem; and 3) evaluating the effectiveness of the developed model. The sample consisted of 21 stakeholders, 63 community members who had purchased mixed medications from grocery stores, and 22 grocery store operators. The research tools included questionnaires, and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-test.

The research revealed the following findings: 1) the public demonstrated a moderate level of knowledge regarding the dangers and harmful effects of mixed medications (55.60%), while their behavior concerning drug purchases remained low (52.38%). Additionally, 58.73% of respondents reported buying drugs from grocery stores. An assessment of these stores showed that 72.27% sold over-the-counter drugs, 22.72% sold dangerous drugs, and 4.50% sold unregistered herbal products or expired/substandard drugs; 2) The community participation model developed was found to be appropriate, with public involvement observed throughout the process. Social measures were implemented, and both community members and store operators gained access to reliable health information through various channels, contributing to improved knowledge; and 3) After implementation, the public's knowledge, behavior, and satisfaction significantly increased compared to pre-intervention levels (p < 0.05). Additionally, the proportion of stores selling over-the-counter drugs increased from 72.27% to 95.50%, while the sale of unregistered herbal products and expired or substandard drugs decreased from 4.50% to 0%.

These findings suggest that the developed model should be adapted and applied in other areas facing similar issues. There should also be support for educational media, with the integration of new technologies to promote continuous learning, in order to enhance public knowledge and encourage safer medication practices among the population.