Risk Perception about Communicable and Vector Borne Diseases in International Travelers at Islamabad International Airport, Pakistan. April to June 2021 / A Cross Sectional Study (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND Travelers are always at risk of exposure to any new communicable or vector borne disease when they travel from one geographical area to another. This study was aimed to determine the risk perception about communicable and vector borne diseases among international travelers arriving to Islamabad from different regions of the world. OBJECTIVE Relatively little is known about how travelers know and perceive the health risks associated with travel and how they utilize preventive measures before and while traveling abroad. This study will assess the risk perception of international travelers about communicable and vector borne diseases which will help in decreasing global burden of diseases. METHODS 426 participants were included through convenient sampling. Tool to collect information was an already validated Questionnaire. Chi square test was applied to find out any significant association between dependent and independent variables. RESULTS The level of risk perception was calculated by summating scores of knowledge, attitude and practices of international travelers regarding communicable and vector borne diseases, out of 426 respondents only (53 %) had a high risk perception whereas (47%) had a low risk perception. A significant association was found between level of risk perception and gender x2 20.9, P-value = 0.000, level of education x2 42.9, P-value = 0.000, nationality x2 7.5, P-value = 0.006 and region of arrival of the passengers x2 26.2, P-value = 0.000. CONCLUSIONS The study results revealed that most of the travelers arrived at Islamabad Airport had a low risk perception about communicable and vector borne diseases that may lead to increase in burden on health care system in Pakistan as well as export of any new disease from Pakistan to other parts of the world where it does not exist already.