Kukiat Tudpor

Background/Objectives: Depressive symptoms, malnutrition and falls are common geriatric syndromes with shared risk factors, yet they are usually studied separately. We aimed to identify latent subgroups defined by their co-occurrence among older adults in Northeast Thailand and the factors associated with membership. Methods: In this cross-sectional survey (October–December 2025), 12,115 community-dwelling adults aged ≥60 years in 39 subdistricts of Maha Sarakham Province were interviewed. Latent class indicators were the Thai 9-item depression scale, Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form, calf circumference, recent falls and gait impairment. Associated factors and concurrent correlates were estimated with bias-adjusted three-step models and cluster-robust standard errors. Results: Depressive symptoms affected 8.4%, malnutrition risk 24.5% and fall risk 17.0%; all three co-occurred in 2.2%, 6.2 times more often than expected under independence, mainly reflecting pairwise associations. Three classes emerged: robust (77.3%), nutritional risk (16.2%) and complex multidomain (6.5%). The complex multidomain class featured gait impairment (78.2%) and malnutrition risk (70.2%), with elevated depressive symptoms (40.9%) and recent falls (26.8%). Membership was associated with age ≥80 years (adjusted odds ratio 4.39, 95% CI 2.68–7.18), not working (4.23, 2.59–6.90), high household debt (2.45, 1.29–4.65), ≥2 chronic conditions (3.54, 2.23–5.64), polypharmacy (2.45, 1.73–3.47) and per additional home hazard (1.44, 1.29–1.61). Members more often rated their health as worse than peers (38.6% vs. 1.8% in the robust class). Conclusions: An estimated 6.5% of older adults (5.0–8.5% across closely agreeing specifications) formed a subgroup characterised by mobility impairment, malnutrition risk and socioeconomic disadvantage. Interpreting existing screening results jointly may help target integrated primary care, social welfare and home-modification support; prospective evaluation is needed.

Wolffia globosa (watermeal) is a potential plant-based food ingredient. This study characterized its nutritional and physicochemical properties, elemental levels, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), DPPH radical-scavenging activity, IL-6 production in H₂O₂-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages, and preliminary cell-viability responses. On a dry-weight basis, the tested W. globosa sample contained 25.83% protein, 4.56% fat, 16.58% ash, 8.80% crude fiber, and 44.22% carbohydrate. Arsenic and zinc were detected below their limits of quantification, whereas cadmium, copper, and lead were below their method detection limits. All analytical reporting limits were below the corresponding EFSA specification values. The extract had TPC and TFC values of 0.85 ± 0.03 mg GAE/g sample DW and 0.52 ± 0.02 mg QE/g sample DW, respectively, and showed weak DPPH radical-scavenging activity (IC₅₀ = 7.58 ± 0.32 mg DW-equivalent/mL). At 0.1 mg DW-equivalent/mL, the H₂O₂-stimulated extract-treated group showed a lower IL-6 concentration than the H₂O₂-stimulated extract-free model control. Weak reductions in cancer-cell viability occurred only at high concentrations (IC₅₀ values of approximately 38–42 mg DW-equivalent/mL). The biological findings remain preliminary. Overall, the tested sample showed promising nutritional and physicochemical characteristics, low selected-elements levels, and preliminary in vitro responses.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) remain a critical occupational health challenge, particularly in high-force and repetitive professions such as Thai traditional massage. While conventional ergonomic assessments rely primarily on self-report and observational tools, there is a growing need for data-driven occupational health informatics approaches to enable real-time risk monitoring and preventive decision support. This study aimed (1) to determine the prevalence and predictors of WMSDs among Thai traditional massage practitioners and (2) to develop a data-driven occupational health informatics framework integrating ergonomic risk profiling with digital monitoring strategies. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 396 certified practitioners working in 204 public health facilities in northeastern Thailand. Standardized instruments included the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Modified Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, and the Body Discomfort Scale. Binary logistic regression was applied to identify significant predictors of WMSDs. The 7-day and 12-month prevalence of WMSDs were 75.0% and 81.31%, respectively. Significant predictors included years of massage experience (OR=4.29), low-level force exertion (∼50 pounds) (OR=4.04), neck extension or trunk hyperextension (OR=15.27), repetitive head movements (OR=5.28), lifting/transferring clients (OR=3.09), use of assistive devices, and adverse environmental conditions (p<0.05). Based on these findings, we propose a digital occupational health informatics framework integrating ergonomic risk stratification with wearable-based posture analytics and real-time feedback mechanisms. The framework supports the development of an assistive massage device incorporating force redistribution and posture-monitoring capabilities. Such data-driven innovations may enhance injury prevention, enable continuous ergonomic surveillance, and improve long-term occupational health sustainability in physically demanding healthcare professions.

This study explored the use of machine learning (ML) models for cardiovascular risk stratification in an elderly Thai population. A cross-sectional analysis was performed in 210 hypertensive adults aged 60 years and older, using age, sex, systolic blood pressure, smoking status, diabetes mellitus, and body mass index as predictors. Model performance was assessed through 5-fold cross-validation, with the random forest model showing the best overall performance (accuracy = 67.14 ± 10.47%, F1-score = 0.57).

To promote organizational safety and address hazards promptly, this study developed Risk Alert, a mobile application for systematic risk reporting. Built with Glide and Google Sheets as the database, the app allows users to report identity, location, and photos of hazards. The application demonstrated efficiency with an average reporting session duration of 1.14 ± 0.26 minutes. Ultimately, Risk Alert serves as an effective digital tool for managing workplace risks.

Falls among older adults are a significant public health issue, with 30% of older adults falling annually. The project’s objective is to develop a fall detection system. This study aims to quantify postural sway (displacement) in older adults during 16 standardized activities of daily living (ADLs), creating a dataset to train an AI model to identify high-risk motion patterns in 50 older adults using a wrist-worn 6-axis motion sensor. The slow-walking group (4.34±1.01 s 10-meter walk test, 10MWT) exhibited greater movement displacements than the normal-walking group (3.48±0.71 s). In conclusion, the study validated that increased postural sway is directly associated with slow gait speed.

Objective: Village Health Volunteers (VHVs) are vital to Thailand’s primary healthcare, yet many face high risks for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This preliminary study aimed to implement health empowerment theory-based personalized health promotion for individuals in the NCD-risk group. Methods: The preliminary mixed-methods study implemented a 6-month empowerment-based health promotion program for 21 VHV leaders (mean age 62.43 ± 7.28 years) at risk for NCDs. The intervention integrated laboratory data, behavioral and qualitative focus-group insights, and quantitative anthropometric data obtained via bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Results: Participants’ exercise adequacy significantly improved after the intervention, increasing from 8.3% to 61.9% (p = 0.03). BIA revealed a physiological shift toward improved energy homeostasis, including decreased body weight, reduced visceral fat area, and increased muscle hydration. While biochemical markers did not reach statistical significance, clinically favorable downward trends were observed in median HbA1c (8.0% to 7.3%) and LDL cholesterol (141.8 to 119.0 mg/dL), alongside stable renal and liver function. Qualitative thematic analysis identified four primary domains of impact: sustainability and systemic advocacy, personal transformation, broad competence acquisition, and enhanced social capital. Participants reported a marked increase in self-efficacy, transitioning from inactive beneficiaries to active health advocates. This change was largely driven by mastery experiences, such as visible improvements in body composition and functional health literacy. Conclusions: The empowerment program significantly improved physical activity and body composition while fostering the social capital and health literacy necessary for community leadership, suggesting that personal health mastery is a critical precursor to effective systemic advocacy and long-term sustainability in community-led health programs.

Vinegar is rich in bioactive compounds and is recognized for its potential health benefits, including metabolic regulation and weight management. This study aimed to develop vinegar from three organic Thai rice varieties and further evaluate the bioactive compounds and associated biological properties. Vinegars were produced from Sangyod and Hom Nil pigmented rice varieties, as well as white Jasmine rice. During a 14-day alcoholic fermentation, all rice wines achieved ethanol concentrations exceeding 10% (v/v) within 5 days. Subsequently, high titratable acidity (expressed as acetic acid) were obtained in Jasmine (5.47% w/v) and Sangyod (5.40% w/v) rice vinegars after 14 days of acetic acid fermentation, along with low levels of turbidity (9.84 and 9.38 NTU, respectively). Sensory evaluation indicated that Sangyod rice vinegar (6.80) had a slightly higher overall acceptability score compared to Jasmine rice vinegar (6.23). Based on these results, Sangyod rice vinegar was selected for further investigation. It demonstrated notable antioxidant activity, with 46.23% DPPH inhibition, likely attributable to its phenolic content (154.76 mg GAE/g) and vitamin E (0.21 mg/100 g). In addition, it exhibited significant in vitro inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase (IC₅₀ of 14.08 mg/mL) and lipase (IC₅₀ of 9.08 mg/mL), although anti-inflammatory and α-amylase inhibitory activities were not detected. These findings suggest that Sangyod rice vinegar has potential as a functional food with antioxidant, antiglycemic, and anti-lipase properties, offering various health benefits.

Background: Thailand is rapidly transitioning into an aging society, creating an intergenerational caregiving gap that strains existing support systems. Objective: This study evaluated the effectiveness of “Young Care,” a community-based intervention designed to enhance youth knowledge, attitudes, and caregiving practices (KAP) toward older adults. Methods: A two-day structured training was conducted in Maha Sarakham Province in 2023 using a pre-post mixed-methods design. Middle and high school students participated in lectures, multimedia sessions, and experiential learning activities related to caregiving. Quantitative data were collected using validated KAP questionnaires, while qualitative insights were obtained from focus group discussions involving students, older persons, caregivers, and local leaders. Results: Post-intervention analysis revealed significant improvements in knowledge and attitudes (p < 0.001), accompanied by increased empathy, caregiving initiative, and a sense of moral responsibility among participants. Conclusions: The initiative fostered formal partnerships among schools, local governments, healthcare providers, and universities through memoranda of understanding. These collaborations enabled budgetary support and outreach to out-of-school youth, positioning “Young Care” as a scalable, youth-centered strategy to address Thailand’s long-term care challenges.