Behavioral Determinants of Dengue Prevention Among Parents of Preschool Children in a Dengue-Endemic Province of Thailand

Abstract

Background: Dengue remains a major vector-borne infectious disease in tropical countries, including Thailand. Preschool children are particularly vulnerable because they rely on parents and caregivers for protection against mosquito exposure. Understanding parental preventive behaviors is important for strengthening household- and community-based dengue control efforts. Objectives: This study examined the levels of predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors and identified factors associated with dengue prevention behaviors among parents of preschool children in a dengue-endemic province of Thailand. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 267 parents of preschool children attending private schools in Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand. Participants were selected using stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire assessing demographic characteristics, predisposing factors, enabling resources, reinforcing factors, and dengue prevention behaviors. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression were used for data analysis. Results: Most participants were female (75.3%), aged 31 - 40 years (41.6%), Buddhist (97.8%), and had completed a bachelor’s degree (47.2%). Overall, 50.2% reported a high level of dengue prevention behavior, whereas 41.6% reported a moderate level. Most participants were classified as having high predisposing-factor scores; however, domain-level mean scores indicated moderate perceptions. All participants were categorized as having adequate enabling resources. Reinforcing factors were mostly moderate. Regression analysis showed that predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors were significantly associated with dengue prevention behaviors and explained 28.1% of the variance. Conclusions: Parental dengue prevention behaviors were associated with perceptions, resource availability, and social reinforcement. School- and community-supported programs should strengthen risk communication, parental self-efficacy, and ongoing support from health personnel and community health volunteers.