Browsing by Author "Kutintara, Benjamas"
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- Home Environments and Allergen Avoidance Practices in a Hot, Humid ClimateKutintara, Benjamas (Virginia Tech, 2002-04-12)The purpose of the study was to examine home conditions, housing satisfactions, and allergen avoidance practices of people with allergic rhinitis, focusing on female patients who lived in an urban area in a hot, humid climate. The Morris and Winter theory of housing adjustment provides a theoretical base for this study. Nine hypotheses were tested to investigate interrelationships among home conditions, housing satisfaction in terms of health issues, allergen avoidance practices, and age. A sample of 41 female allergy patients aged 20 to 77 years completed a screening questionnaire and an in-depth survey questionnaire. The researcher visited their dwellings to conduct home observations and to take photos.Dust mite allergens were reported as the most common allergy triggers. Presence of cockroaches, presence of furry pets outdoors, molds in bathrooms, and molds in kitchens were the most common problematic home conditions. Open shelves, bookcases, drapes, horizontal blinds, and foam rubber pillows were the most common allergy related items found in respondents' bedrooms. Concerning health issues, the majority of the respondents were satisfied with their homes. Allergen avoidance practices were not followed regularly, particularly, using allergen-proof pillowcases and sheets, washing bedding in hot water, wearing a particle mask when vacuuming, using an exhaust fan, an air cleaner, a dehumidifier, and cockroach traps. The respondents who received suggestions from doctors were more likely to follow allergen avoidance practices than those who did not receive suggestions.The result shows a significant negative relationship between problematic home conditions and housing satisfaction in terms of health issues. A significant negative relationship between age and allergen avoidance practices was found. Older sufferers were less likely to use allergen-proof products. They also lived in older homes that were more likely to have allergy related conditions. The most common obstacles that prevented respondents from improving their homes in order to avoid allergens were cost of products, emotional attachment to pets, not having time to improve homes, and procrastination. Based on these findings, design recommendations, home maintenance recommendations, and lifestyle practice recommendations were developed.
- Residential Interior Environments of Retired Government Employees in ThailandKutintara, Benjamas (Virginia Tech, 1997-11-19)The purpose of this study was to explain the safety and usability problems in the residential interior environment of Thai older adults. A sample of 163 retired government employees who live in Bangkok, Thailand were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire which included questions about housing characteristics, interior environment features, personal information, health condition, and activity level. The mean age of the older adults was 68.1 and ranged from 60 to 93 years. The data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, and means as descriptive statistics and one-way analyses of variance. The findings revealed that most of the Thai older adults had lived in their own two story detached houses more than ten years and with their family members. The majority of the respondents had vision problems, but almost all could easily perform activities of daily living by themselves and half of them could easily perform instrumental activities of daily living by themselves. Problematic interior environmental features in each area of the home were identified and prioritized. When respondents were divided by age group, significant differences appeared in the degree of difficulty with two safety and usability features in the home. Divided by daily activity levels, respondents revealed significant differences in the degree of difficulty associated with eight safety and usability features. When the homes were broken down to five categories: entrance and stairs, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and other interior features of the house, it was these other interior features that seemed to have the most problems in safety and usability. The kitchen had the most problems in safety and usability when compared to other rooms. Based on these findings, design recommendations for Thai housing were developed.
- Taking a trip? : a guide for using travel agencies and the World Wide WebChase, Melissa W.; Kutintara, Benjamas; Marchal, Richard (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2003)