DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT OF SUBDISTRICT ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTING THE LIFE QUALITY OF PEOPLE IN NAKHON NAYOK PROVINCE

Abstract

This study aimed to: 1) Examine the level of quality of life among people in Nakhon Nayok Province; 2) Analyze the development of public health and local development policies of subdistrict administrative organizations that affected the people's quality of life; and 3) Propose approaches for improving their quality of life. A mixed-methods research design was employed. The samples consisted of 400 residents aged 18 years and over who were eligible voters in Nakhon Nayok Province, determined using Yamane, T.'s formula. Key informants included 20 participants comprising executives of subdistrict administrative organizations and local residents. The research instruments included a questionnaire that had been validated for content validity, with an Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) of 0.80 and an overall reliability coefficient of 0.90, as well as an in-depth interview schedule that achieved a Content Validity Index (CVI) of 1.00. Data analysis employed frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, multiple regression analysis, and descriptive analysis. The findings revealed that: 1) The overall quality of life of the people was at a high level (  = 3.81, S.D. = 0.22); 2) The variables related to the development of natural resources, environment, and tourism (X₅), health promotion and disease prevention (X₁), and personnel excellence (X₃) significantly affected the people's quality of life at the 0.05 level of statistical significance; and 3) The proposed approaches for improving quality of life included promoting regular exercise and holistic health care, enhancing confidence in personal potential, providing knowledge and access to daily life stability, and supporting the development of strong community and family networks through mutual exchange and understanding.