Caregivers’ experiences of PM2.5 prevention for preschool children in Thailand: a qualitative study with focus group interviews
4 affiliations
- 1Lecturer, Department of Nursing, School of Nursing, University of Phayao, Phayao, Thailand
- 2Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing, School of Nursing, University of Phayao, Phayao, Thailand
- 3Assistant Professor, Field of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham, Thailand
- 4Associate Professor, School of Energy and Environment, University of Phayao, Phayao, Thailand
Abstract
Purpose: This study explored caregivers’ lived experiences and everyday practices related to preventing exposure to particulate matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5) among preschool children in a rural community in northern Thailand. Recurring haze and limited local resources create distinct challenges in this setting, making it important to understand how caregivers perceive air-quality risks and manage children’s exposure in daily life.
Methods: This qualitative descriptive study used focus group interview supplemented by in-depth interviews. Twenty primary caregivers of preschool-aged children (14 females and 6 males) participated. Data were collected with a semi-structured interview guide and analyzed using qualitative content analysis based on the approach described by Graneheim and Lundman.
Results: Three major themes emerged from the analysis: (1) barriers in environmental awareness and responsibility, reflecting tensions between pervasive local pollution sources and caregivers’ sense of helplessness; (2) individual efforts for disease prevention, describing caregivers’ limited resources and reliance on visible symptoms rather than proactive prevention; and (3) building empathy and social support, indicating a shift from individual coping toward collective efforts to pursue education and structural change.
Conclusion: Reliance on reactive coping strategies highlights the limitations of individual-level prevention when infrastructure gaps remain. Effective interventions should therefore combine caregiver health literacy with advocacy for improved waste management policies. These findings underscore the need to move beyond placing responsibility primarily on families and toward strengthening community-level structural support for sustainable child protection.
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BibTeX
@article{imman2026caregivers,
title = {{Caregivers’ experiences of PM2.5 prevention for preschool children in Thailand: a qualitative study with focus group interviews}},
author = {Kesinee Imman and Jutamas Ponmark and Surachai Wongcharee and Saksit Imman},
journal = {Child Health Nursing Research},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.4094/chnr.2025.047},
url = {https://doi.org/10.4094/chnr.2025.047},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Caregivers’ experiences of PM2.5 prevention for preschool children in Thailand: a qualitative study with focus group interviews
AU - Kesinee Imman
AU - Jutamas Ponmark
AU - Surachai Wongcharee
AU - Saksit Imman
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/31
JO - Child Health Nursing Research
DO - 10.4094/chnr.2025.047
UR - https://doi.org/10.4094/chnr.2025.047
AB - Purpose: This study explored caregivers’ lived experiences and everyday practices related to preventing exposure to particulate matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5) among preschool children in a rural community in northern Thailand. Recurring haze and limited local resources create distinct challenges in this setting, making it important to understand how caregivers perceive air-quality risks and manage children’s exposure in daily life. Methods: This qualitative descriptive study used focus group interview supplemented by in-depth interviews. Twenty primary caregivers of preschool-aged children (14 females and 6 males) participated. Data were collected with a semi-structured interview guide and analyzed using qualitative content analysis based on the approach described by Graneheim and Lundman. Results: Three major themes emerged from the analysis: (1) barriers in environmental awareness and responsibility, reflecting tensions between pervasive local pollution sources and caregivers’ sense of helplessness; (2) individual efforts for disease prevention, describing caregivers’ limited resources and reliance on visible symptoms rather than proactive prevention; and (3) building empathy and social support, indicating a shift from individual coping toward collective efforts to pursue education and structural change. Conclusion: Reliance on reactive coping strategies highlights the limitations of individual-level prevention when infrastructure gaps remain. Effective interventions should therefore combine caregiver health literacy with advocacy for improved waste management policies. These findings underscore the need to move beyond placing responsibility primarily on families and toward strengthening community-level structural support for sustainable child protection.
SN - 2287-9110
SN - 2287-9129
ER -