This cross-sectional study was conducted in
Phukhiao district, Chaiyaphum province, Thailand.
Multi-stage cluster sampling was used to select a
sample. One sub-district named Khok Sa-at was
selected from the eleven sub-districts in Phukhiao
District. There were twenty-one villages in Khok
Sa-at sub-district. Then, four villages among them
were chosen for community research areas. Due to
limited available parameters, the formula for simple
random sampling was used to calculate sample size.
Based on 95% confidence interval and 7% acceptable error, the estimated sample size was 193.
To ensure the sufficient sample size if any missing
data or incomplete data occurs, 10% was added
to the estimated sample size. The required sample
size was therefore at least 214. In the study,
because of incomplete data, 203 Buddhist elder
persons aged > 60 years were included. The
villages were handled by a health center named
Phudin health center. Four local nurses who
speak local dialect interviewed the elderly utilizing
a structured questionnaire in order to collect data
in January, 2010.