Assessing crew’s preferences regarding technical solutions for screening and early detection of communicable diseases on board cruise ships

Background: The willingness of cruise ship crew to comply with technological solutions to screen for and detect communicable diseases on board is a critical driver of the implementation of such solutions. Material and methods: We surveyed crew readiness to accept state-of-the-art solutions for screening and early detection of communicable diseases on cruise ships. Self-reported sociodemographic characteristics, levels of technology use, and acceptance of proposed solutions were anonymously recorded in paper format. Multiple logistic regression analyses probed into the association of respondent characteristics with willingness to accept proposed solutions. Results: A total of 280 crew members on two successive cruises on board the ship Celestyal Olympia participated in the survey. The vast majority of crew (97.8%, n = 274) agreed with at least one solution. Crew members noted an almost universal acceptance for coating cabins or public spaces surfaces with antibacterial materials (95.4%) and air purifiers in the cabin and/or the air conditioning system (94.6%), and very high acceptance levels for screens with real-time guidance and cameras detecting passengers with fever (91.8% and 90.7%, respectively). Age, gender, educational level, and previous working experience in a cruise ship were significantly correlated with the crew members’ willingness to adopt proposed solutions. Conclusions: Crew on board cruise ships may exhibit very high acceptance levels of technological solutions that aid in the early detection of communicable diseases, as part of standard health and safety at work regulations. It is imperative to ensure that crew also develops a deep understanding of the value of such technologies, to universally embed them in their daily practice and successfully drive passenger adherence.