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Biomedical subjects

Viroj Tangcharoensathien

Publications and source records attributed to Viroj Tangcharoensathien.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

A critical assessment of mortality statistics in Thailand: potential for improvements.

This study evaluates the collection and flow of mortality and cause-of-death (COD) data in Thailand, identifying areas of weakness and presenting potential approaches to improve these statistics. Methods include systems analysis, literature review, and the application of the Health Metrics Network (HMN) self-assessment tool by key stakeholders. We identified two weaknesses underlying incompleteness of death registration and inaccuracy of COD attribution: problems in recording events or certifying deaths, and problems in transferring information from death certificates to death registers. Deaths occurring outside health facilities, representing 65% of all deaths in Thailand, contribute to the inaccuracy of cause-of-death data because they must be certified by village heads with limited knowledge and expertise in cause-of-death attribution. However, problems also exist with in-hospital cause-of-death certification by physicians. Priority should be given to training medical personnel in death certification, review of medical records by health personnel in district hospitals, and use of verbal autopsy techniques for assessing internal consistency. This should be coupled with stronger collaboration with district registrars for the 65% of deaths that occur outside hospitals. Training of physicians and data coders and harmonization of death certificates and registries would improve COD data for the 35% of deaths that take place in hospital. Public awareness of the importance of registering all deaths and the application of registration requirements prior to funerals would also improve coverage, though enforcement would be difficult.

Data Collection↗
PubMed2006

The cost of influenza in Thailand.

The cost of influenza in less wealthy tropical countries is needed to inform national vaccine policy decisions. Between September 2003 and August 2004, we prospectively identified hospitalized pneumonia cases and outpatients with laboratory confirmed influenza in a Thai province. Disease incidence, patient interviews, medical record reviews, and data from a national health survey were used to calculate direct and indirect costs which were extrapolated to the Thai population. Influenza was identified in 80 (11%) of 761 hospitalized pneumonia inpatients with projected annual incidence of 18-111/100,000 population. Influenza was confirmed in 23% of 1092 outpatients with an estimated annual incidence of 1420/100,000 population. Influenza was estimated to cause between US dollar 23.4 and US dollar 62.9 million in economic losses with lost productivity accounting for 56% of all costs. The burden of influenza in Thailand is greater than previously appreciated, particularly in young children and the elderly. The impact and cost-effectiveness of influenza vaccination for high-risk groups merits further investigation.

Cost of Illness↗
PubMed2006

The validity of A new practical quality of life measure in patients on renal replacement therapy.

OBJECTIVE: A new quality of life measure, apart of the National Health and Welfare 2003 survey, is a promising tool for outcome evaluation of clinical practice due to its brevity, validity, reliability, and providing easy interpretation against general population norm-based scores. The measure consisting of 9-items, and so called 9-item Thai Health status Assessment Instrument (9-THAI) was used to assess its validity and reliability in patients on renal replacement therapy (RRT). MATERIAL AND METHOD: Three hundred and two patients on RRT who visited Srinagarind Hospital from March to May 2005 were studied Convergent and divergent validity were assessed using SF-36 as the concurrent measure. Concurrent validity was also assessed using hematocrit level and hospitalization history in the last year as concurrent clinical measures. Test-retest reliability was studied by repeated measure within one 1 month. Responsiveness of 9-THAI was studied in patients who reported health improvement. RESULTS: Results of correlations between 9-THAI and SF-36 domains were as hypothesized 9-THAI scores were significantly correlated with hematocrit level and hospitalization history. The results confirmed the validity of 9-THAI for use as a quality of life measure. Intraclass correlation coefficients of 9-THAI scores in stable patients were satisfactory. Among patients on RRT who reported overall health improvement, 9-THAI scores significantly increased, thus adding further evidence of the responsiveness of 9-THAI. CONCLUSION: The 9-THAI is a valid and reliable generic health status measure that can be used as an ideal core in a battery of quality of life measures in clinical practice for patients on RRT.

Female↗
PubMed2005

Cost-effectiveness of models for prevention of vertical HIV transmission - voluntary counseling and testing and choices of drug regimen.

OBJECTIVES: From a health care provider prospective, to assess the cost-effectiveness of four Antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens given in addition to voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) for preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV: a) Zidovudine (AZT); b) Nevirapine (NVP); c) a combination of AZT for early antenatal attenders and NVP for late arrivals; and d) combined administration of AZT and NVP and to assess the incremental cost-effectiveness of adding a second VCT session in late pregnancy. DESIGN & SETTING: We examine a hypothetical cohort of 100,000 pregnancies as a decision model. Cost and outcome parameters are estimated as they would apply under Thai routine health service conditions. Effectiveness probabilities are based on best available evidence, from systematic reviews where possible. The main outcome is the number of cases of paediatric HIV averted. RESULTS: The combining administration of AZT and NVP is the most cost-effective drug option. One VCT session with AZT+NVP averts 337 cases of infection at 556 USD per case averted, while two VCT with the same drug regimen averts 16 additional cases at cost of 1,266 USD per infection averted. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of moving from 1VCT, AZT+NVP to 2VCT, AZT+NVP is 16,000 USD per additional averted case, which is much lower than the recommended threshold value for HIV infection averted in Thailand. Multivariate uncertainty analysis supports the findings, showing that at a threshold of 35,000 USD, 2VCT, AZT+NVP is preferable to other VCT and drug strategies. CONCLUSION: Interventions for preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV are cost-effective. Further costs and negative effects of drug resistance, are unlikely to outweigh the social benefits of reduce transmission of HIV. This model suggests that the new drug regimen is a cost-effective option in the Thai health system at currently accepted thresholds for adopting health technologies.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

Private obstetric practice in a public hospital: mythical trust in obstetric care.

There is evidence to suggest the decline of trusting relationships in modern healthcare systems. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the role of trust in medical transactions in Thailand, using obstetric care as a tracer service. The paper proposes an explanatory framework of trust for further investigation in other healthcare settings. The study site was a 1300-bed tertiary public hospital in Bangkok which it provides two forms of obstetric care: regular obstetric practice (RP) and private obstetric practice (PP). Forty pregnant women were selected and interviewed using a set of guiding questions. A thematic analysis of the interviews was undertaken to generate understanding and develop an explanatory framework. It was found that patients' trust in obstetric services was influenced by their perceptions of risk and uncertainty in pregnancy and childbirth, and that these perceptions were linked to their social class. Social class also influenced the accessibility and affordability of care to patients. Middle class pregnant women with relatively high-level concerns about risk and uncertainty preferred using PP service as a means to achieve interpersonal trust. These women thought that an informal payment would provide the basis for interpersonal trust between themselves and the chosen obstetricians. In practice, however, obstetricians involved in PP rarely acknowledged this reciprocal relationship and hardly expressed the additional courtesy expected by patients. As a result, PP service only created an expensive impersonal trust that was mistaken as interpersonal trust by patients. Negative outcomes from PP often caused disappointment that could eventually lead to medical litigation. The study suggests that there are some negative impacts of PP within the health system. Negative experiences among PP users may undermine trust not only in the specific doctor but also trust in health professionals and hospitals more generally. Steps need to be undertaken to protect and strengthen existing impersonal trust, which combine institutional trust based on good governance and service quality with trust in the professional standard of practice. The explanatory framework developed through this study provides a foundation for further studies of trust in different specialties and care settings.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

The private demand for an AIDS vaccine in Thailand.

A contingent valuation survey of Thai adults revealed that private demand for a hypothetical AIDS vaccine that is safe, has no side effects, and lasts 10 years, rises with income, the lifetime risk of HIV infection and vaccine efficacy, and declines with vaccine price and respondent's age. Demand for both high (95%) and low (50%) efficacy AIDS vaccines is substantial. Nearly 80% of adults would agree to be vaccinated with a free vaccine. Government will have an important role to ensure that those at highest risk of HIV infection with low incomes have access to the vaccine and to reinforce other safe preventive behavior to prevent reductions in condom use.

AIDS Vaccines↗
PubMed2004

Is universal coverage a solution for disparities in health care? Findings from three low-income provinces of Thailand.

The policy on universal coverage (UC) of health care has been adopted and implemented incrementally by the government of Thailand since April 2001 with the aim of providing the access to care for the uninsured population. The success of UC, however, depends on how effective its design and implementation arrangements are in reaching population and affecting households' health seeking behavior and abilities to take up benefits of UC. The results from the household survey of 1834 respondents conducted in three low-income provinces (Tak, Sakol Nakorn, Narathiwat) show that the Gold card with exemption scheme was pro-poor while other insurance schemes tended to favor the rich with 2.6% of respondents reported having more than one type of health insurance coverage and 8.9% without health insurance. The insurance status had statistically significant association with health care use, and knowledge on family planning method and sexually transmitted diseases. Additionally, consumer preferences and socioeconomics factors are a key to disparities in health care utilization.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Induced abortion in Thailand: current situation in public hospitals and legal perspectives.

Abortion is illegal in Thailand unless the woman's health is at risk or pregnancy is due to rape. This study, carried out in 1999 in 787 government hospitals, examined the magnitude and profile of abortion in Thailand, using data collected prospectively through a review of 45,990 case records (of which 28.5% were classified as induced and 71.5% as spontaneous abortions) and face-to-face interviews with a sub-set of 1854 women patients. The estimated induced abortion ratio was 19.5 per 1000 live births. Almost half the induced abortions were in young women under 25 years of age, many of whom had little or no access to contraception. Socio-economic reasons accounted for 60.2% of abortions. Serious complications were observed in almost a third of cases, especially following abortions performed by non-health personnel. Government physicians' current provision of induced abortion went beyond the provisions of the law in almost half of cases, most commonly for intrauterine death and for congenital anomalies. The paper proposes a framework for policy discussions of the grey areas of maternal and fetal indications leading to legal reform, in order to facilitate safe abortion. A recommendation to amend the abortion law has been proposed to the Ministry of Public Health and the Thai Medical Council.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMed2004

Designing a reproductive health services package in the universal health insurance scheme in Thailand: match and mismatch of need, demand and supply.

In October 2001 Thailand introduced universal healthcare coverage (UC) financed by general tax revenue. This paper aims to assess the design and content of the UC benefit package, focusing on the part of the package concerned with sexual and reproductive health (SRH). The economic concept of need, demand and supply in the process of developing the SRH package was applied to the analysis. The analysis indicated that SRH constitutes a major part of the package, including the control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, the promotion and maintenance of reproductive health, and early detection and management of reproductive health problems. In addition, the authors identified seven areas within three overlapping spheres; namely need, demand and supply. The burden of disease on reproductive conditions was used as a proxy indicator of health needs in the population; the findings of a study of private obstetric practice in public hospitals as a proxy of patients' demands; and the SRH services offered in the UC package as a proxy of general healthcare supply. The authors recommend that in order to ensure that healthcare needs match consumer demand, the inclusion of SRH services not currently offered in the package (e.g. treatment of HIV infection, abortion services) should be considered, if additional resources can be made available. Where health needs exist but consumers do not express demand, and the appropriate SRH services would provide external benefits to society (e.g. the programme for prevention of sexual and gender-related violence), policymakers are encouraged to expand and offer these services. Efforts should be made to create consumer awareness and stimulate demand. Research can play an important role in identifying the services in which supply matches demand but does not necessarily reflect the health needs of the population (e.g. unnecessary investigations and prescriptions). Where only demand or supply exists (e.g. breast cosmetic procedures and unproven effective interventions), these SRH services should be excluded from the package and left to private financing and providers, the government playing a regulatory role.

Health Services Needs and Demand↗
PubMed2004

Knowledge-based changes to health systems: the Thai experience in policy development.

Over the past two decades the government in Thailand has adopted an incremental approach to extending health-care coverage to the population. It first offered coverage to government employees and their dependents, and then introduced a scheme under which low-income people were exempt from charges for health care. This scheme was later extended to include elderly people, children younger than 12 years of age and disabled people. A voluntary public insurance scheme was implemented to cover those who could afford to pay for their own care. Private sector employees were covered by the Social Health Insurance scheme, which was implemented in 1991. Despite these efforts, 30% of the population remained uninsured in 2001. In October of that year, the new government decided to embark on a programme to provide universal health-care coverage. This paper describes how research into health systems and health policy contributed to the move towards universal coverage. Data on health systems financing and functioning had been gathered before and after the founding of the Health Systems Research Institute in early 1990. In 1991, a contract capitation model had been used to launch the Social Health Insurance scheme. The advantages of using a capitation model are that it contains costs and provides an acceptable quality of service as opposed to the cost escalation and inefficiency that occur under fee-for-service reimbursement models, such as the one used to provide medical benefits to civil servants. An analysis of the implementation of universal coverage found that politics moved universal coverage onto the policy agenda during the general election campaign in January 2001. The capacity for research on health systems and policy to generate evidence guided the development of the policy and the design of the system at a later stage. Because the reformists who sought to bring about universal coverage (who were mostly civil servants in the Ministry of Public Health and members of nongovernmental organizations) were able to bridge the gap between researchers and politicians, an evidence-based political decision was made. Additionally, the media played a part in shaping the societal consensus on universal coverage.

Cost Control↗
PubMed2003

Health sector regulation in Thailand: recent progress and the future agenda.

This paper reviews the current system of regulation and assesses its effectiveness in the health-care system of Thailand. In order to achieve this, extensive documentary reviews were performed and supplemented by in-depth interviews. We found the existing regulatory framework to be fairly comprehensive with rules and roles firmly established. Regulations cover almost all relevant private and public organisations including individuals. However, the incomplete performance of regulatory functions was detected resulting in problems of overburdened staff and delays in performance of functions. Our recommendations propose the promotion of professional ethics and continuing education, an effort to narrow the gap between expectation and reality through public education, and the empowering of consumer organisations. The increasing popularity of medical lawsuits and professional insurance, which in part reflects the imperfect administration of the system, highlights the need for careful consideration of how best to handle the increase in complaints. The mapping of the regulatory system in this paper, together with the discussion of how to cope with the expansion of medicine as a business and with greater consumerism, will be of interest to other middle income countries that seek to reform and strengthen their regulatory system.

Consumer Advocacy↗
PubMed2002

Universal coverage and its impact on reproductive health services in Thailand.

Thailand has recently introduced universal health care coverage for 45 million of its people, financed by general tax revenue. A capitation contract model was adopted to purchase ambulatory and hospital care, and preventive care and promotion, including reproductive health services, from public and private service providers. This paper describes the health financing system prior to universal coverage, and the extent to which Thailand has achieved reproductive health objectives prior to this reform. It then analyses the potential impact of universal coverage on reproductive health services. Whether there are positive or negative effects on reproductive health services will depend on the interaction between three key aspects: awareness of entitlement on the part of intended beneficiaries of services, the response of health care providers to capitation, and the capacity of purchasers to monitor and enforce contracts. In rural areas, the district public health system is the sole service provider and the contractual relationship requires trust and positive engagement with purchasers. We recommend an evidence-based approach to fine-tune the reproductive health services benefits package under universal coverage, as well as improved institutional capacity for purchasers and the active participation of civil society and other partners to empower beneficiaries.

Financing, Government↗