Knowledge, Attitude and Behavior of Hotel Employees on Fine Particulate Matters (PM_2.5) in Indoor Air in Xicheng District of Beijing

Objectives To investigate the knowledge, attitude and behavior(KAP) of hotel employees on PM_2.5 in indoor air in order to guide a further education in relevant personnel.

Methods A KAP investigation was conducted in 53 hotels in Xicheng District of Beijing. A total of 238 hotel employees were enrolled by using a stratified random sampling method.

Results The awareness on the harm of PM_2.5 for human body systems from high to low were respiratory system, immune system, cardiac system, endocrine system, nervous system and genetic system. The awareness on the sources of PM_2.5 in indoor air from high to low were automobile exhausts, industrial production, coal-fired for heating, smoking, burning wood, outdoor air pollution, ground or bed cleaning and unclean central air-conditioning systems.Cleaning floor with vacuum cleaner or dry broom were conducted in 41 hotels; cleaning wall with dry cloth or duster in 35 hotels; cleaning bed with dry broom in 30 hotels.

Conclusions Overwhelming majority of employees have realized the harm of PM_2.5 on respiratory system. The awareness on the harm of PM_2.5 for immune system was relatively high. More than half of employees knew that the sources of PM_2.5 in indoor air were automobile exhausts, industrial production, coal-fired for heating, smoking and burning wood.Many people have not realized that the pollution in outdoor air, bed cleaning and unclean central air-conditioning were also the sources of PM_2.5 in indoor air. Most of hotel employees did not clean rooms in wet processing and not concern about the outdoor atmospheric environment before opening windows.