International University Students’ Pre-Travel Preparation, Knowledge and Practices towards Travel Health in Thailand: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study
Issued Date
2023-06-01
Resource Type
eISSN
24146366
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85163687662
Journal Title
Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease
Volume
8
Issue
6
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease Vol.8 No.6 (2023)
Suggested Citation
Jaita S., Pisutsan P., Lawpoolsri S., Kitro A., Kittitrakul C., Kusolsuk T., Kamolratanakul S., Chompoosri P., Flaherty G.T., Dhitavat J. International University Students’ Pre-Travel Preparation, Knowledge and Practices towards Travel Health in Thailand: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease Vol.8 No.6 (2023). doi:10.3390/tropicalmed8060322 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/87894
Title
International University Students’ Pre-Travel Preparation, Knowledge and Practices towards Travel Health in Thailand: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study
Other Contributor(s)
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.