The Effectiveness of the Universal Health Coverage Policy: A Case Study of Don Phatthana Village, Dong I Chan Subdistrict, Non Suwan District, Buriram Province

Abstract

This research aimed to: (1) examine the level of effectiveness of the Universal Health Coverage policy in Don Phatthana Village, Dong I Chan Subdistrict, Non Suwan District, Buriram Province; (2) investigate the factors related to the effectiveness of the Universal Health Coverage policy in the same area; and (3) propose guidelines to enhance the policy's effectiveness. This study employed a quantitative research methodology. The target population consisted of households residing in Don Phatthana Village. The respondents included heads of households, household representatives, or legally competent family members capable of providing information. The research instrument was a questionnaire developed by the researchers, divided into three sections: Part 1 – general demographic information of the respondents; Part 2 – questions regarding participation factors; and Part 3 – questions on the effectiveness of the Universal Health Coverage policy. Data were collected from February to August 2024 and analyzed using statistical software for social science research. The analysis involved frequency distribution, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and correlation coefficient (r). The results as follows: 1) The overall effectiveness of the Universal Health Coverage policy was at a high level (𝑥̅ = 4.53, S.D. = 0.40). When examining individual aspects, all dimensions showed high levels. The highest mean was found in project risk (𝑥̅ = 4.51, S.D. = 0.50), followed by satisfaction (𝑥̅ = 4.51, S.D. = 0.44), and participation (𝑥̅ = 4.51, S.D. = 0.42). 2) The factor significantly related to policy effectiveness was public participation, which included four sub-dimensions: participation in decision-making, operational participation, benefit participation, and evaluation participation. These were statistically correlated with the policy’s effectiveness at the 0.01 level, with an overall correlation coefficient of 0.703. Specifically, the correlation coefficients were as follows: participation in decision-making (r = 0.516), operational participation (r = 0.499), benefit participation (r = 0.603), and evaluation participation (r = 0.703). These results supported the proposed hypotheses. 3) The proposed guidelines for enhancing policy effectiveness include: promoting participation in decision-making, operations, benefit sharing, and evaluation.