Hiv/Aids Knowledge Among Hotel Employees In Türkiye

Abstract

Aim: During travels and holidays, patients or carrier tourists can infect people with sexual intercourse or contaminant tools and equipment at the places around them where they are located. For this reason, employees in the tourism sector who have direct contact with tourists are among the high-risk groups for HIV/AIDS. This study aimed to assess the knowledge among hotel employees about HIV/AIDS.

Material and Methods: The sample of this study consisted of 511 employees working in five-star hotels in Bodrum, one of the major tourism destinations of Türkiye. The study used the convenience sampling method. The questionnaire was conducted through in-person interviews in 2024, and responses were analyzed using SPSS version 24.0.

Results: Participants' general knowledge score about HIV/AIDS was 42.02 out of 100, knowledge score about transmission routes was 49.93 out of 100, and knowledge score about prevention and treatment methods was 47.13 out of 100. Participants' total knowledge score was 46.36 out of 100. It was determined that participants obtained information about HIV/AIDS mostly from social networks (e.g., Facebook, Instagram) (49.51%), television (42.66%), and the Internet (31.90%).

Conclusion: Participants' knowledge score on HIV/AIDS was determined below average. It was determined that the participants' sources of information about HIV/AIDS were mass media rather than school or health personnel. In the study, hotel employees were identified as having educational needs about HIV/AIDS.