Dataset Information

International University Students' Pre-Travel Preparation, Knowledge and Practices towards Travel Health in Thailand: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

ABSTRACT: International university students are vulnerable travellers due to their unpredictable schedules and lifestyles. As Thailand continues to see an increase in international students, evaluating their pre-travel preparation and preventive behaviours is crucial to identify areas for improvement. For this purpose, an online survey focusing on pre-travel preparation, knowledge and preventive practices related to travel health was distributed to 324 eligible international students from 14 Thai universities, with the majority being from Asia and Oceania (79.0%; n = 256). The results showed that half of the respondents (53.7%; n = 175) received professional pre-travel advice, mainly because of the mandatory health examination and vaccination requirements of the host university. The study also revealed inadequate knowledge about infectious and non-infectious health risks, with only one-third being aware that Japanese encephalitis is transmitted by mosquito bites, and less than half of the students recognising Thailand's emergency services number. Poor preventive practices were also observed, with less than half of those with new sexual partners consistently using condoms and less than half of those riding motorcycles always wearing helmets. These findings highlight the need for a new strategy to improve the standard of travel health preparation among this group of young adult travellers, particularly those from resource-limited countries.

SUBMITTER: Jaita S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10303968 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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International University Students' Pre-Travel Preparation, Knowledge and Practices towards Travel Health in Thailand: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

Jaita Sawettachai S Pisutsan Phimphan P Lawpoolsri Saranath S Kitro Amornphat A Kittitrakul Chatporn C Kusolsuk Teera T Kamolratanakul Supitcha S Chompoosri Poom P Flaherty Gerard T GT Dhitavat Jittima J

Tropical medicine and infectious disease 20230615 6

International university students are vulnerable travellers due to their unpredictable schedules and lifestyles. As Thailand continues to see an increase in international students, evaluating their pre-travel preparation and preventive behaviours is crucial to identify areas for improvement. For this purpose, an online survey focusing on pre-travel preparation, knowledge and preventive practices related to travel health was distributed to 324 eligible international students from 14 Thai universi ...[more]

PMID: 37368740

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Project description:Background Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the leading causes of death from infectious diseases worldwide with numerous undiagnosed and untreated cases, emphasizing the need for TB awareness to minimize transmission and initiate early treatment. Data regarding the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward TB among Jordanians is lacking but requires attention given the massive migration spells to Jordan from neighboring countries in the past decade. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from May to June 2022. An online questionnaire was developed following World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for TB KAP surveys and was distributed to Jordanian university students. The questionnaire documented sociodemographic data and measured participants' KAP toward TB. Descriptive and analytic statistics were used to report KAP levels and highlight relevant sociodemographic factors associated with better KAP. Results 602 participants completed the survey; most were females (60.8%), in their first 3 years of school (84.4%), and from a healthcare field of study (57.0%). The knowledge section median score was 27 out of 51. Knowledge gaps in TB treatment, and to a lesser extent, TB transmission routes were identified. The attitudes section median score was 6 out of 9, attitudes were generally positive toward TB patients with no indication of a social stigma. The practice section median score was 6 out of 8, most participants would take the correct measures if they suspected being infected, yet around 41.0% were not confident that masks are important in preventing airborne diseases. Students in healthcare specialties had significantly better KAP scores and identifying as a smoker was associated with a lower practice score. Conclusion Although university students displayed satisfactory KAP scores, the focus should be aimed at informing students from non-healthcare fields on TB transmission routes, treatment options, and the role of masks in preventing disease transmission.

Project description:BackgroundInternational travel is among the leading impactful factors of COVID-19 transmission; thus, adequate knowledge, good attitude and good preventive practices toward COVID-19 for international travelers are particularly essential for successful pandemic control.MethodsA cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted to determine knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of international travelers (both Thai and non-Thai) and expatriates in Thailand. The data were collected at the Thai Travel Clinic, Bangkok, Thailand and via online platforms during May to October 2020. The independent T-test, Chi-square test and multiple regression analysis (MRA) were applied to determine factors influencing the KAP.ResultsOf 399 travelers, 46.6% were male, 72.1% had a Bachelor's degree or higher, and the mean age was 35.6 ± 9.6 years. Due to unexpected travel restrictions and lock down, 77.9% of participants were Thai and the respective major purpose of travel was business/work. Travel cancellation/postponement was reported at 73.9%. While sufficient knowledge (≥ 60% correct answers) was reported in 77.9% of participants, a low percentage of correct answers was found in the questions regarding disease transmission. The travelers reported a neutral attitude and an overall moderate concern regarding the COVID-19 situation. Adequate preventive practices were determined by the average practice score 3.54 ± 0.38 (0 = never and 4 = always). The MRA revealed that the factors influencing good practices were travelers who: i) enrolled from outside the hospital (online platform); ii) received pretravel advice at hospital; iii) were female; iv) participated before the declaration of the end of the outbreak; v) were aged 40-49 years, and vi) visited friends and relatives.ConclusionsThe majority of travelers in this study had sufficient knowledge, a neutral attitude and adequate preventive practices toward COVID-19. The factors influencing good practices included pretravel advice, sex, age and the point in the timeline of the outbreak. In order to better control the COVID-19 pandemic situation, pretravel counselling and advice should be promoted as a means to improve knowledge, particularly in disease transmission, increase awareness and emphasize appropriate preventive measures toward COVID-19 among international travelers. Furthermore, preventive practices should be bolstered at all times regardless of the outbreak situation.

Dataset Information

International University Students' Pre-Travel Preparation, Knowledge and Practices towards Travel Health in Thailand: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

Publications

International University Students' Pre-Travel Preparation, Knowledge and Practices towards Travel Health in Thailand: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

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