Living a tormented life: Caregivers' experiences of caring for a child with autism in Northeastern Thailand

Caring for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be a demanding challenge to caregivers. The aim of this study was to learn what caring for children with ASD means to caregivers who live in rural Thailand. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used to analyze narrative data from interviews of five caregivers. Three themes emerged: (a) being sensitive to the word autism, (b) being trapped in a tunnel of distress, and (c) being the universe for the child. Healthcare professionals need to be sensitive to the caregivers' cultural customs in order to meet their expectations in a respectful way.     

The retrospective identification and molecular epidemiology of porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3) in swine in Thailand from 2006 to 2017

Porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3) has recently been detected in pigs worldwide, with similar clinical manifestations to porcine circovirus‐associated disease (PCVAD) from porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) infection. Here, we report the identification and molecular epidemiology of PCV3 in swine in Thailand from clinical samples retrieved from 2006 to 2017. The epidemiological data revealed co‐infection with PCV2, PRRSV, and PCV2/PRRSV was common in our samples. Circulating PCV3 from this study shared a high similarity of nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the partial capsid gene (96.7%–100% and 96.7%–100% respectively), indicated the genetic stability of PCV3 in Thailand. Phylogenetic analysis based on the capsid gene revealed scatter clustering with current PCV3 having no relation to the geographical origin of the virus strains. In this retrospective study, results have demonstrated that PCV3 has spread extensively within Thai swine from as early as 2006 and may also be involved in PRDC and PCVAD.     

An Ethnographic Study of Mental Healthcare Services for People with Mental Illness in Rural Thailand

Little is known about access to healthcare services among people with mental illness in rural Thailand. This study describes a contextual understanding of access to mental healthcare services for people with mental illness in three selected villages located in a rural district in Northeastern Thailand. An ethnographic approach was adopted wherein in-depth interviews and site observation were conducted. In all, 14 participants were interviewed, 9 persons with mental illness and 5 caregivers, between January and July in 2017. The study described how people with a mental illness and their primary caregivers experience access to mental health services. Three major cultural theme patterns emerged during the analysis: Theme 1- family stress: avoiding repercussion from the bad experience, Theme 2 - waking before dawn: the most important rule to abide by, and Theme 3- going quickly only to remain silent and still: the duty of a good patient. This study has provided an insight into the experiences of people with mental illness accessing mental health services, which is of importance for improving the queuing system at the outpatient mental health clinic and guidelines for healthcare providers interacting with patients and their families.