Experiences and expectations regarding COVID-19 prevention and control measures among the hill tribe population of northern Thailand: a qualitative study

Abstract

Background COVID-19 has been a major human threat for a year. A large number of people have been infected and killed globally, including hill tribe people living in remote and border areas between Thailand and Myanmar. Different expectations of and experiences with the implemented disease prevention and control measures by local, national and international organizations have been widely reported. This study aimed to understand the experiences and expectations regarding the disease prevention and control measures that were implemented among hill tribe people in Thailand. Methods Qualitative data were collected from participants aged 20 and older who belonged to the hill tribes living on the border of northern Thailand and Myanmar. A semistructured questionnaire was used to guide interviews. Information was extracted for thematic analysis by the NVivo program. Results Fifty-seven participants (36 female, 21 male) were interviewed; 27 participants were Thai Yai, 14 participants were Yunnan Chinese, 8 participants were Akha, and 8 participants were from other tribes. The average age was 45.8 years (min = 20 years, max = 90 years). Thirty participants had never attended school, and the other 27 participants had received education at different levels, from primary school to higher education. Forty participants were unemployed, 13 worked as agriculturists, and the other 4 were attending school. Both positive experiences, such as improving personal hygiene practices, maintaining close contact and increasing relationships among family members and demonstrating the leadership of the villager leaders, and negative experiences, including interruption of social interactions, family financial problems, poor access to medical care services, and invisible people to the government, were found. Different expectations were observed regarding organizations at the local, national, and international levels. Expectations at the local level included villagers and community leaders taking action to strongly contribute to prevention and control measures and to prevent unscreened people from entering the village. Obtaining accurate information about the disease and being financially supported were expectations at the national level, while closing borders to protect cases from overflowing into their villages was an international-level expectation. Conclusion Although hill tribes reside in very remote rural areas, they experience both positive and negative effects of the disease prevention and control measures implemented by organizations. Their expectations are formally and informally voiced to policy makers at the local, national and international levels.

Prevalence and predictors of suboptimal glycemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in northern Thailand: A hospital-based cross-sectional control study

“…The differences might be impacted by the population’s culture, especially the daily consumption of sticky rice [ 11 ] and living in a lower socioeconomic status [ 10 ] in northern Thailand compared to nationwide representation from a study conducted by Aekplakorn et al [ 7 ]. The difference could also be impacted by the rescheduling of DM care and management during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 27 , 28 ].…”

“Like a wake-up call for humankind”: Views, challenges, and coping strategies related to public health measures during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Thailand

“…Participants also described experiences of isolation and loneliness as substantial challenges, which for many were closely linked to fears of infecting loved ones or of becoming infected themselves. Similarly, a study conducted among Thai Hill Tribe communities showed that interruption to social interactions and limited social contact among community members was regarded as a key negative impact of COVID-19 measures [62]. Close family and community ties and frequent social interactions are considered core elements of Thai culture and society, with these having been severely interrupted by social distancing guidelines in the early stages of the pandemic [63].…”

“…Close family and community ties and frequent social interactions are considered core elements of Thai culture and society, with these having been severely interrupted by social distancing guidelines in the early stages of the pandemic [63]. Together, these findings highlight the inadvertent psychological distress resulting from COVID-19 public health measures, which have received growing attention internationally [22,64,65] and in Thailand [59,62,66,67]. Furthermore, these findings suggest the need for governments to place stronger emphasis on safeguarding mental health amidst this ongoing pandemic, the impacts of which are likely to outlive its physical health impacts.…”

Status of the stateless population in Thailand: How does stigma matter in their life?

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