Research News

Walailak University is committed to promoting health and improving the quality of life for patients with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in communities surrounding the university through the project series “Walailak Health Model: Restoring Quality of Life and Creating Sustainable Well-being in Community Areas Around the University” and the Ban Tha Sung Bon Project: Community Well-Being Model of Allied Health Sciences.

This multidisciplinary initiative involves Medical Technology, Pharmacy, Applied Thai Traditional Medicine, and Physical Therapy, in collaboration with Sub-district Health Promoting Hospitals (SHPH) and Village Health Volunteers (VHV) to integrate screening, education, and rehabilitation efforts for community members.

Screening and Care for High-Risk Groups through Multidisciplinary Collaboration

Teams conducted field assessments on NCD-related health issues, particularly hypertension, diabetes, and bedridden patients. Many cases revealed additional risk factors contributing to accelerated physical decline, such as obesity and osteoarthritis.

Blood tests were conducted to screen for complications, especially kidney disease, along with basic health assessments, including BUN, Creatinine, and eGFR measurements to evaluate kidney disease risk in NCD patients. Preliminary findings indicated that 75.4% of hypertensive patients were the predominant group, and 68.9% showed high-risk kidney function abnormalities (low eGFR levels).

A health database system was developed in collaboration with SHPH to enhance the effectiveness of NCD and bedridden patient care. This system facilitates fast and efficient information sharing between public health officers and VHVs, ensuring timely interventions.

Knowledge Transfer and Self-Care Promotion

Training sessions were conducted for VHV leaders and high-risk groups on proper nutrition, dietary adjustments, and lifestyle modifications to manage NCDs. These included reducing high-sodium foods, avoiding alcohol, and maintaining regular exercise.

Local herbal medicine applications were also introduced to alleviate chronic symptoms, such as processing herbs into herbal tea or innovative herbal massage oil formulations to help relieve muscle pain in NCD and bedridden patients.

Continuous follow-ups were organized, including home visits by Allied Health Sciences and Physical Therapy teams, offering guidance on basic physical therapy, rehabilitation exercises, complication prevention, and proper use of herbal medicine.