Journals Information
Universal Journal of Public Health Vol. 13(4), pp. 990 - 999
DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2025.130421
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Communication Competencies of Caregivers of Dependent Elderly People: A Case Study of Chaiyaphum Province, Thailand
Sakchai Pattra 1, Sunan Siphai 1, Dusit Hirunwan 2, Prachuab Lamluk 3,*
1 Faculty of Arts and Science, Chaiyaphum Rajabhat University, Thailand
2 Chaiyaphum Provincial Public Health Department, Thailand
3 Department of Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Phayao, Thailand
ABSTRACT
Although caregivers play an important role in caring for the elderly today, their effectiveness depends on their communication skills. This study aimed to analyze and categorize the communication competencies of caregivers for dependent elderly. The population used in this study included 2,480 caregivers working in Chaiyaphum Province, Thailand. The measurement model for communication competence indicators for caregivers of dependent elderly comprises five components with 22 indicators. The model's structural validity is indicated by the following statistics: 
=146.936, df = 147, p-value = 0.4860, CFI = 1.000, TLI = 1.000, RMSEA = 0.000, SRMR = 0.026, and /df = 0.999. The highest average communication competence among caregivers was in self-awareness, with a mean of 4.05 and a standard deviation of 0.691. This was followed by communication skills, knowledge of communication processes, communication strategies, and motivation to communicate. The results of the latent profile analysis showed that the best-fitting model for categorizing the communication competencies of caregivers for dependent elderly is a four-group model (likelihood = -1186.095, AIC = 2428.190, BIC = 2531.896, ABIC = 2443.096, Ek = 0.879). Profile group 1 consisted of 144 individuals with self-awareness issues, profile group 2 included 36 individuals with communication strategies, profile group 3 comprised 28 individuals with communication skills, and profile group 4 included 92 individuals knowledgeable in communication processes. Therefore, to promote elderly caregivers to be able to work effectively, development guidelines should be established that are consistent with the characteristics of elderly caregivers in each group.
KEYWORDS
Caregiver Competencies, Communication Skills, Dependent Elderly, Health Communication, Thailand
Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Sakchai Pattra , Sunan Siphai , Dusit Hirunwan , Prachuab Lamluk , "Communication Competencies of Caregivers of Dependent Elderly People: A Case Study of Chaiyaphum Province, Thailand," Universal Journal of Public Health, Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 990 - 999, 2025. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2025.130421.
(b). APA Format:
Sakchai Pattra , Sunan Siphai , Dusit Hirunwan , Prachuab Lamluk (2025). Communication Competencies of Caregivers of Dependent Elderly People: A Case Study of Chaiyaphum Province, Thailand. Universal Journal of Public Health, 13(4), 990 - 999. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2025.130421.