Knowledge, attitude, and practices toward COVID-19 among the international travelers in Thailand

Abstract

Background 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. Methods 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. Results 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. Conclusions 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.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding “New Normal” Guidelines and Quality of Life Among Thai People During the COVID-19 Outbreak: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey

“…The current findings revealed that participants generally had positive attitudes regarding “new normal” guidelines, similar to previous reports ( 28 , 41 ). We found that 82.6% of participants agreed that “It's important to maintain a distance of at least 2 meters to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” which is similar to the findings of a previous study in Bangladesh ( 48 ).…”

“…In addition, 95.5% of participants always wore masks when they went to public places. The findings were similar to those of a study conducted among Thai travelers ( 41 ). The results revealed that participants who were single engaged in prevention practices less frequently than those who were divorced or separated, consistent with a study in Bangladesh ( 45 ).…”

“…The findings revealed that participants generally had accurate knowledge regarding “new normal” guidelines. The findings were similar to those of previous studies conducted among health science students, with scores ranging from 8 to 10 points ( 28 ), and Thai travelers, with an average score of 8.34 ± 12 points (SD) ( 41 ). Most respondents reported accurate knowledge regarding “new normal” guidelines: 97.6% of participants agreed that “People in contact with someone infected with SARS-CoV-2 should be immediately quarantined and tested for the virus,” which was similar to the findings of a previous study in China ( 20 ).…”

“…The findings revealed that many participants frequently engaged in practices regarding the “new normal” guidelines, which was similar to previous findings ( 28 , 36 , 41 ). In addition, 95.5% of participants always wore masks when they went to public places.…”

“…In contrast, Prapaso et al found a negative correlation between these factors ( 41 ). Furthermore, participants in the current study who had a lower level of education (below bachelor's degree) had less knowledge than those with a higher level of education (above bachelor's degree), which was similar to the findings of a previous study by Prapaso et al ( 41 ). The findings revealed that participants who worked in the government sector had more accurate knowledge than those who were unemployed.…”