The impact of home environmental hazards on subjective health among healthy elderly adults in Thailand

Authors

• Arunya Tuicomepee
• Kitti-on Sirisuk
• Juthatip Wiwattanapantuwong
• Somnuke Gulsatitporn
• Trirat Jarutach

Publication Date

2025

Abstract

Thailand's aging population includes a growing number of near-centenarians and centenarians living at home. Grounded in Lawton’s Ecological Theory of Aging, this study aimed to examine whether an unsafe home environment (outdoor, indoor, and additional hazards) has an indirect negative effect on subjective health among elderly Thai adults. Participants were 141 elderly (ages 80–112) but healthy adults, most of whom were living in well-maintained, single-story homes. Instruments used in the study included the Self-Rated Health Question, the Social Contact Scale, the Loneliness Question, and the Home Environmental Hazards Checklist. Findings reveal common indoor hazards such as bathrooms and showers, sleeping areas, laundry areas, stairs, raised floors, and dim lighting. The group of elderly adults rated their health as moderately good, received more visits than they made, and reported little loneliness. Using a serial mediation model, the results demonstrated that raised floors and dim lighting, when combined with limited social contact and much loneliness, significantly lowered self-rated health. The finding extends previous research by showing that reducing home environmental hazards (i.e., enhancing lighting, removing raised flooring) and strengthening social connections (i.e., increasing social contact frequency, reducing feelings of loneliness) as key strategies for promoting self-rated health in this population. Local housing authorities, health promotion agencies, and community stakeholders should prioritize home modifications that reduce environmental hazards in the home and proactively implement social support programs to reduce loneliness for promote healthy longevity among Thailand’s elderly population.

DOI

10.54028/NJ202524507

First Page

1

Last Page

19

Recommended Citation

Tuicomepee, Arunya; Sirisuk, Kitti-on; Wiwattanapantuwong, Juthatip; Gulsatitporn, Somnuke; and Jarutach, Trirat (2025) "The impact of home environmental hazards on subjective health among healthy elderly adults in Thailand," NAKHARA (Journal of Environmental Design and Planning): Vol. 24: No. 1, Article 7.
DOI: 10.54028/NJ202524507
Available at: https://digital.car.chula.ac.th/nakhara/vol24/iss1/7