Abstract
This qualitative descriptive study aimed to 1) assess impacts and resilience mechanism of prison, communities and related organizations in Bangkok during Covid-19 pandemic, 2) synthesize lesson learned for community resilience towards problem solving in the Covid-19 pandemic, and 3) synthesize policy recommendation for prison and community resilience through stakeholder participation. Methods included documentary review, brain storming (n=100), focus group interviews (n=55), observation, and in-depth interviews (n=60). Through purposive sampling with inclusion criteria, participants were selected from three opened communities including Klong Toei, Thawi Watthana, Yothi Medical Innovation District, and three closed communities including Workers’ camp, Klong Prem Central Prison, and Homeless Protection Centers. Data were collected via online or onsite and were analyzed using content analysis. Subsequently, 100 stakeholders provided suggestions on the draft report presentation. Results revealed that communities were positively and negatively affected by Covid-19 including impacts on health, surveillance, referrals and quarantine, access to healthcare, communication and social stigma, travels, food security, occupation, education, economic and social support. Mechanisms of community resilience included Acceptance of the situation, the infected patients returning to communities, and the diversity; Agility and Flexibility in thinking and responding to the impacts; Belief in capacity through volunteer; Competence; Desire to learn and change; Efforts to develop skill; Further forward, and Get and give support through social networks. To promote community resilience, there were components related to healthteam and organization “SCIENCE”: Sharing resources and experiences; Communication and Connectedness for referrals; Integration, Innovation, Information Technology; Empathy; Networking; Care; and Engagement. Lesson learned included 1) Infrastructure facilitating resilience: Primary care systems for prevention and control of Covid-19 along with care provision and rehabilitation that harmoniously linked with health service systems and Information Technology, particularly Community Isolation; 2) Social responsibility and mechanisms of community volunteer that accelerate access both in healthcare and health literacy necessary for community, health team, and related parties; 3) Equity in education, socioeconomic and rights; 4) Leadership and management with agility and flexibility, teamwork with networks aiming to develop innovation that solves problems in the Covid-19 situation through community based approach. Results suggest following policy implications: Bangkok Metropolitan and local organizations collaborate with Ministry of Public Health to consider arranging primary health care systems specifically for primary prevention of Covid-19 that takes less time and resources than treatment and rehabilitation as well as consider Covid-19 vaccine management. In addition, reducing density of community housing is suggested along with strengthening community. Bangkok Metropolitan collaborates with 1) Ministry of Education to systematically consider basic education including informal education, 2) Ministry of Digital Economy and Society consider to control reliability of information with a link of information technology system, 3) Ministry of Labor continuously to monitor labor standards and Ministry of Industry to control construction sites, 4) Ministry of Transport to control standards for Minibus, 5) Ministry of Social Development and Human Security and networks to improve quality of life of communities, 6) Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to support long-term cultivation of basic edible gardens, and 7) Ministry of Commerce to distribute products with fair price thoroughly to the public. Ministry of Justice considers modifying infrastructure of prison to reduce population density and promoting Covid-19 literacy. Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation creates a knowledge development model. While communities collaborate with local organizations and networks to modify environment, promptly prepare community volunteers for surveillance based on epidemiolgical principle, and promote literacy for caring in community, aiming at preparedness and response to Covid-19 or new emerging diseases.
