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2007 STRATEGIES FOR COHORT FOLLOW-UP

Cohort follow-up in 2006 was via articles in the Thai newspaper Kom Chad Luek (KCL) and the STOU newsletter.

In 2007, more targetted feedback is planned and currently in progress. C ohort feedback consists of a package sent to each member of the cohort (N= 87,134) with highlights of the cohort baseline analysis, a notebook-diary, general information on the 8 most common medical conditions reported at cohort baseline, and a brief review of the fundamentals of first aid.

At mailout, a sample of the recipients is also in preparation for 2008 follow-up. Incidence rates (IR) measurements will be done on a subset of the cohort (N=8,713). Mental health (gross national happiness, psychological distress), injuries and self-reported BMI will be measured.

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LOOK BACK STUDY (LBS) PUBLICATION 2007

The Thai team have published a 335-page LBS in Thai with an English Summary of National Plans and associated health outcomes: Karn Plien Plang Pan Bujjai Siang Tang Sukaparb Kon Thai: Bot Rian Jark Adit Su Sen Tang Anakot (Look Back Study on the Thai Health-Risk Transition ), Thai Health-Risk Transition Project Team (Seubsman S, Vilainerun D, Khamman S, Somboonsook B) . Nonthaburi, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University Press. (In Thai with English summary.) ISBN 978-974-9943-66-3.

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PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS 2006-07

Dixon J, Banwell C, Seubsman S . On the Margins of the Global Food System: How a Simple Technology is Driving Dietary Diversity and the Nutrition Transition in Khon Khaen, Thailand'. AGRI-FOOD XIII, University of Otago, New Zealand, November 26-December 1, 2006. (Published abstract)  and ANU seminar April 2007.

Seubsman S, Sleigh A, and the Thai Cohort Study Team . 'The Thai Health-Risk Transition: a National Cohort Study' . Proceedings of International Conference on Understanding Health and Population over Time: Strengthening Capacity in Longitudinal Data Collection and Analysis in Asia and the Pacific Region, Mahidol University, Bangkok, May 24-25, 2007 (Invited talk and paper)

Seubsman S, Sleigh A, Isaac-Toua G, Black P. ‘Enhancing civil society participation to support avian flu control in Thailand '. From Outbreaks to Pandemics in the Region, Building our Capacity to Respond, Australian Communicable Diseases Control Conference, Canberra, March 14-15, 2007.

Dixon J, Banwell C, Seubsman S . ‘On the Margins of the Global Food System: How a Simple Technology is Driving Dietary Diversity and the Nutrition Transition in Khon Khaen, Thailand '. AGRI-FOOD XIII, University of Otago , New Zealand , November 26-December1, 2006. (Published abstract)

Seubsman S, Sleigh AC, Lim L and Vilainerun D.  Cancer among a large cohort of distance learning university students, Thailand .   Proceedings of the 3rd Asian Pacific Organization for Cancer Prevention (APOCP) General Assembly Conference, Bangkok, Thailand, Nov 3-5, 2006 .  

Seubsman S, Sleigh AC and Thai Cohort Study Team.  ‘Thai Health-Risk Transition: A National Cohort Study'.  Invited presentation to the International Health session at the 37th Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) Conference, Sydney, Australia, Sept 25-27, 2006.

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NEWSPAPER ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN THAILAND - 2006

Food safety and botulism in Thailand. Sam-ang Seubsman

Food Glorious (Thai) Food! Sam-ang Seubsman

A strong heart. Sam-ang Seubsman

Health Risk Transition articles (5) Adrian Sleigh

Environment articles (3) Tord Kjellstrom

Obesity article Boonchai Somboonsook

The power of the plastic bag in the modern Thai diet. Jane Dixon & Cathy Banwell

The birth of a strong nation. Penny Haora
English
Thai

Protecting Our Teenagers. Arunrat Tangmunkongvorakul
English

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MINI PROJECT ON DIETARY DIVERSITY AND THE NUTRITION TRANSITION IN THAILAND: CASE STUDY IN KHON KHAEN (KK) - 2005-06 ongoing.

This project aims to study food variety and dietary diversity in the Khon Khaen region to ascertain the changes underway in the Thai food system and provide insights into food availability and the nutrition transition.

As dietary diversity is considered important in the prevention of chronic diseases, this mini project is focussing on recent changes in the availability and consumption of food variety and will examine whether food supply diversity and dietary diversification are features of the nutrition transition in Thailand. The Thai investigators on this mini project are Sam-ang Seubsman (STOU), Wundee Kanponai (Khon Kaen school teacher), Suttinan Pangsap (STOU) and - from Australia - Jane Dixon (NCEPH), Cathy Banwell (NCEPH), Sharon Friel (NCEPH), and Robert MacLennan (QIMR). Research questions include: who and what has been responsible since 1988 for increasing food variety available in Khon Khaen; who is consuming the variety; where the food comes from and what are the major distribution channels. Interviews of Khon Khaen market stall vendors, focus group discussions with older residents and key informant interviews with a range of Khon Khaen leaders took place in February 2006 to determine: major sources of food acquisition and any changes over time in dependency on different sources of food; changes in the food supply over the last 15 years or more; how contemporary food availability is reflected in Isan culinary culture. Questionnaires on food frequency and children's nutritional intake and food preferences have been distributed to three schools across Khon Khaen.

Here we provide a pictorial comparison of changes to food availability in Khon Khaen between 1988 and 2005. The early images were taken by Professor MacLennan when he was visiting Khon Khaen in conjunction with a nutrition epidemiology conference. The recent images were taken as part of the pilot work for the study.

The results of the 2006 fieldwork are currently being analysed for publication.

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COLLABORATOR'S WORKSHOP NOVEMBER 2005

The second collaborator's workshop was conducted in November 2005 at NCEPH, ANU, where basic analysis of cross-sectional data from the baseline survey were presented, discussion, group work and planning for look back studies, work in progress, project activities, cohort follow up and maintenance, timelines and next steps were also conducted. group photo
The Deputy-Director of Public Relations (PR) at STOU was invited to and attended the Thai Study November 2005 workshop. As a result of this collaboration, a comprehensive media and PR plan to follow up cohort participants has been implemented at STOU, including the design of a specific cohort newsletter to be launched later in 2006. Cohort contact and maintenance commenced in early 2006 following plans drawn up at the November 2005 workshop.
Regular (fortnightly) articles are published in a leading Thai national newspaper. Articles will also appear in the quarterly STOU newsletter, which is circulated to all STOU enrolled students and will therefore reach cohort members.

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THAI LANGUAGE CLASSES - 2005

A 20 page questionnaire was developed in the second half of 2004, incorporating topics that affect health transitions. This was a multidisciplinary cross-cultural effort between Australia and Thailand. The questionnaire was prepared and launched in Thailand, including procurement of equipment and recruitment of the baseline cohort survey in March 2005. A national media campaign about the project was aimed at the general public as well as potential respondents.

The questionnaire was pre-tested by students at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU) December 2004, with inputs from the Thai team. Commercial tenders were sought for the enormous print job (201,000 copies of questionnaires, folders and envelopes) and postage, to reach potential cohort members throughout Thailand, who are all STOU students. By late February 2005 the mailout was ready and distribution plans complete. Mailout took place in early March 2005. Both the NCEPH and Thai teams have worked well together to make this possible.

Five PhD students have been awarded scholarships and are about to join the Study: three are Thai and two Australian - arriving from Geneva, Thailand, Afghanistan and Sydney.

The project started in June 2004 and is funded by NHMRC and Wellcome Trust. Thai Cohort Study office premises were established in Thailand July 2004. The project is on schedule and objectives have been achieved to date – with official support and endorsement at all times from the President of STOU.

Images of the preparation, production and advertising of the questionnaire

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THAI OFFICE OPENS- 2004

Powerpoint display of the official opening of the Thai Health-Risk Project office in the School of Human Ecology, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Nonthaburi, Thailand.