If you're travelling to a tropical or sub-tropical region of the world where hookworm infections are common, avoid walking barefoot in areas where there may be contaminated soil, and don't touch soil or sand with your bare hands.
Good hygiene standards and effective sewage disposal systems are the reason hookworm infections aren't commonly seen in developed countries such as the UK, although they may still be a problem in some Mediterranean countries.
It's estimated between 576 million and 740 million people in the world are infected with hookworm.