Behavior to Prevent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) among the Elderly with Non-Communicable Disease in Rural Northeastern Thailand

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the preventive behaviors against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and to identify factors influencing these behaviors. Material and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study from September 2021 to January 2022 during the COVID-19 outbreak. The study population comprised 320 early-onset elderly individuals with non-communicable diseases residing in rural northeastern Thailand. A simple random sampling technique was utilized to select participants. Data collection was facilitated through a self-administered questionnaire. Results: The analysis indicated that 69.1% of participants were female, with a mean age of 63.7 years. Diabetes mellitus represented 43.1% of the underlying conditions. A significant majority (54.4%) exhibited a high level of preventive behavior against COVID-19. Notably, 76.3% of the participants consistently engaged in hand hygiene with alcohol gel in public settings. Age and educational background were significant personal factors correlated with preventive behaviors (p-value<0.05). Participants with very high preventive behaviors were predominantly in the 60-65 age bracket (62.3% vs. 37.7%, p-value=0.027) and had completed late elementary education (46.0% vs. 30.1%, p-value=0.018). Conclusion: Elderly individuals with underlying diseases in rural areas of northeastern Thailand displayed commendable preventive behaviors against COVID-19. These findings suggest a heightened awareness and proactive engagement in mitigating the transmission of this infectious disease.