title: A participatory approach to health promotion for informal sector workers in Thailand.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aims to promote occupational health in the informal sector in Thailand by using a participatory approach. The success of the intervention is based on an evaluation of the informal sector workers, a) knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in occupational health and safety, b) work practice improvement, and c) working condition improvement.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study applies the Participatory Action Research (PAR) method. The participants of the study consisted of four local occupations in different regions of Thailand, including a ceramic making group in the North, a plastic weaving group in the Central region, a blanket making group in the Northeast, and a pandanus weaving group in the South. Data was collected using both qualitative and quantitative methods through questionnaires, industrial hygiene instruments, and group discussions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that the working conditions of the informal sector were improved to meet necessary standards after completing the participatory process. Also, the post-test average scores on 1) the occupational health and safety knowledge, attitudes and behaviors measures and 2) the work practice improvement measures were significantly higher than the pre-test average scores (P less than 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results demonstrate that the participatory approach is an effective tool to use when promoting the health safety of the informal sector and when encouraging the workers to voluntarily improve the quality of their own lives. ‎
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. aniruth_m@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Aniruth
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manothum
authors.forename: Jittra
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rukijkanpanich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002516:Ceramics; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016272:Occupational Health; D017751:Safety Management / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013783:Textile Industry; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014934:Wood; D017132:Workplace / Q000458:organization & administration*; D055815:Young Adult