Knowledge and Flu Preventive Behaviors among High School students in Bangkok

Abstract: Influenza is a virus that annually causes approximately 1 billion illnesses and 3-650,000 deaths. Influenza (H1N1) pandemic caused in 2009- 2010 has become a seasonal influenza virus and it is the virus that has been selected as a strain in the production of influenza vaccines with other strains every year. Secondary school students are the population that has a lot of activities in learning and interacting with household members in daily life. If there is an epidemic of influenza high school students are people that affect the speed of disease transmission. This research studied the knowledge and flu preventive behaviors of female secondary school students in Bangkok and identified the sources and channels of the flu information. It was an online cross-sectional survey collecting data in June 2022. The results of the study found that 304 respondents, median age of 14 years (min-max 11-18 years), had a mean knowledge score of 7.32 (sd=1.97) out of 10. The majority, 252 students, 82.89% (95% CI 78.26 – 86.71), were confident to recommend the flu vaccine to their relatives with high risk of severe flu illness. The prevalence of influenza preventive behaviors were as follows; wearing a mask regularly when visiting public areas, 261 students (85.85%, 95% CI 81.49-89.33), washing their hands regularly, 163 students (53.61%, 95% CI 48.00-59.14), and avoiding crowded areas 124 students (40.79%, 95% CI 35.41-46.40). Overall, 209 students (68.75%, 95% CI 63.33 – 73.70) practiced good influenza preventive behaviors. Factors associated with good flu preventive behaviors were: good disease knowledge (p