Factors Affecting High School Students' Perception of the Impact of Kratom Water Consumption in Phayuhakiri District Nakhon Sawan Province Factors Affecting High School Students' Perception of the Impact of Kratom Water Consumption in Phayuhakiri District Nakhon Sawan Province

Abstract

Kratom was reclassified from a Type II narcotic, leading to its increased prevalence among various groups. Despite this, kratom still had significant effects on the body, particularly when there was a lack of knowledge and understanding about it. High school students were considered a vulnerable group that required close monitoring and supervision. The objectives of this study were: 1) to examine the level of awareness regarding the impact of kratom extract consumption among high school students in Phayuha Khiri District, Nakhon Sawan Province, and 2) to compare the level of impact of kratom extract consumption on the students' perceptions of its effects. Data were collected from a sample of 400 participants using simple random sampling and a questionnaire. Statistical methods used for data analysis included percentages, frequencies, means, standard deviations, and the F-test.

The results of the study indicated that the overall awareness of the impact of kratom extract consumption among high school students in Phayuha Khiri District, Nakhon Sawan Province, was high (= 3.85, S.D. = 0.344). When considering individual aspects, the average scores for psychological, family/social, and physical impacts were lower in that order.

Hypothesis testing revealed that factors such as gender, age, religion, grade level, academic stream, GPA, monthly expenses, housing status, and family status did not significantly affect the students' perceptions of the impact of kratom extract consumption in Phayuha Khiri District, Nakhon Sawan Province.