Khon Kaen University is one of the important tertiary educational institutions in the Northeast, Thailand. It is also a research university. Research development is one of the university’s missions with the aim to create, initiate and seek knowledge in each research field and use the research results to develop instruction, focusing on developing and promoting effective learning for lecturers, students and related personnel, developing services for the society, providing and promoting citizens with knowledge, good culture, developing environment and creating a research collaboration network with relevant parties in order to create well-being for people in the Northeast of Thailand as well as national and international citizens.
The Faculty of Nursing is one of the faculties in Khon Kaen University that has provided teaching for more than 40 years, and always adopted the policy of the university, especially research. The faculty members have conducted research since the foundation of the faculty and continuously developed and conducted research among the service recipients, including infants, children, working age population and the elderly with the goal to provide healthcare for these groups of people.
Working age population is the backbone of the country. They work and increase productivity by using physical strength and intelligence to generate and bring income to the nation. Thailand has more working-age population than any other ages. According to statistics from the Ministry of Public Health, the working age population is 67% of the population of all age groups, and the number tends to increase. If this group of population has health problems or diseases, it will inevitably affect health statistics and the national economy as a whole.
However, the working age population usually have many health problems, such as sexually transmitted diseases, diseases caused by smoking, alcohol drinking and substance use. Also, they always encounter health problems related to work. It is often found that the working age population faces danger from work, for example, the body organs are cut or stabbed by objects. From the blood test to examine cholinesterase of the farmers across the country, the working age population are at risk and unsafe of being poisoned by pesticides, organophosphates and carbamates. Moreover, road traffic injuries and deaths are found among the working age population the most. Furthermore, older working age population starts to have health problems due to the deterioration of the body. If they do not receive health promotion or have good self-care, it may lead to health problems related to chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes. However, these health problems can be prevented. For this reason, it is necessary to take preventive measures and solve health problems of working age population by providing health promotion, disease prevention and healthcare for this group of people in order to prevent them from chronic diseases, occupational illnesses and injuries from accidents.
Therefore, it is necessary to establish the center for promotion of quality of life of working age population. The researchers expect that the establishment of the center will promote health of the working age population, and also create people, systems and networks to provide care for the working age population in order to have good quality of life, happiness, and become an important power of the nation.