Visitors’ Perception of the Effectiveness of Leptospirosis Health Hazard Warning Signage in Recreational Parks, Hulu Langat District, Malaysia

Abstract

This study primarily intends to determine visitors’ perception of leptospirosis health hazard warning signage and its effectiveness within natural recreational parks in the district of Hulu Langat. This cross-sectional study was conducted in four out of seven natural recreational parks, installed with leptospirosis health hazard warning signage. A total of 209 respondents were recruited purposively in this study and completed the questionnaires. Majority of the respondents were male (57.4%), 40 years old and below (89.5%), received tertiary education (68.5%), staying outside Hulu Langat district (83.2%), visited for the first time (63.6%), and noticed the presence of leptospirosis health hazard warning signage at the park entrance (69.4%) and within the recreational park (64.2%). A significant relationship was discovered between respondents’ education level and perception of the health hazard warning signage (p-value 0.034). The rate of visits and noticeability of the health hazard warning signage were significantly associated with the effectiveness of the content on the health hazard warning signage (p-value 0.002 and 0.004, respectively). The construction of health hazard warning signage at the recreational areas should suit the social and educational background of the population. Visitors’ discernment of the effectiveness of erecting leptospirosis health hazard warning signage within natural recreational parks in the district of Hulu Langat is good if the signage is perceptible even with subsequent repeated visits to the parks.

Keywords

• perception
• effectiveness
• leptospirosis
• health
• hazard
• warning signage
• recreational park