Prapaso Suttiporn, Luvira Viravarn, Lawpoolsri Saranath, Songthap Archin, Piyaphanee Watcharapong, Chancharoenthana Wiwat, Muangnoicharoen Sant, Pitisuttithum Punnee, Chanthavanich Pornthep
Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Department of Tropical Hygiene, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Trop Dis Travel Med Vaccines. 2021 Nov 15;7(1):29. doi: 10.1186/s40794-021-00155-1.
International 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.
A 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.
Of 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.
The 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.
国际旅行是新冠病毒传播的主要影响因素之一；因此，国际旅行者对新冠病毒有足够的认识、良好的态度和良好的预防措施，对于成功控制疫情尤为重要。
开展了一项基于问卷调查的横断面研究，以确定国际旅行者（包括泰国人和非泰国人）以及在泰国的外籍人士的知识、态度和行为（KAP）。2020年5月至10月期间，在泰国曼谷的泰国旅行诊所及通过在线平台收集数据。采用独立样本t检验、卡方检验和多元回归分析（MRA）来确定影响KAP的因素。
在399名旅行者中，46.6%为男性，72.1%拥有学士学位或更高学历，平均年龄为35.6±9.6岁。由于意外的旅行限制和封锁，77.9%的参与者为泰国人，各自的主要旅行目的是商务/工作。73.9%的人报告旅行被取消/推迟。虽然77.9%的参与者报告有足够的知识（正确答案≥60%），但在关于疾病传播的问题上，正确答案的比例较低。旅行者对新冠疫情情况持中立态度，总体关注度适中。通过平均行为得分3.54±0.38（0=从不，4=总是）确定有足够的预防措施。多元回归分析显示，影响良好行为的因素包括：i）在医院外（在线平台）登记的旅行者；ii）在医院接受旅行前建议的旅行者；iii）女性；iv）在宣布疫情结束前参与的旅行者；v）年龄在40-49岁之间；vi）探亲访友的旅行者。
本研究中的大多数旅行者对新冠病毒有足够的认识、中立的态度和足够的预防措施。影响良好行为的因素包括旅行前建议、性别、年龄和疫情爆发时间线中的时间点。为了更好地控制新冠疫情形势，应推广旅行前咨询和建议，作为提高知识水平的一种手段，特别是在疾病传播方面，提高国际旅行者对新冠病毒的认识，并强调适当的预防措施。此外，无论疫情情况如何，都应始终加强预防措施。
