open access

Vol 68, No 4 (2017)
Review article
Submitted: 2017-11-08
Accepted: 2017-12-11
Published online: 2017-12-22
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Travel health prevention

Krzysztof Korzeniewski1
·
Pubmed: 29297575
·
IMH 2017;68(4):238-244.
Affiliations
  1. Department of Epidemiology and Tropical Medicine, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland

open access

Vol 68, No 4 (2017)
TROPICAL MEDICINE Review article
Submitted: 2017-11-08
Accepted: 2017-12-11
Published online: 2017-12-22

Abstract

All around the world there has been a rapid growth in the number of international travels. According to the World Tourism Organisation the number of international tourist arrivals reached 1,235 billion in 2016 and continues to grow at a high rate. This has been much due to the development of air transport (including low-cost airlines), increasingly common economic migration, a growing number of travellers visiting friends and relatives, and an increase in medical tourism. With tropical destinations becoming increasingly popular among travellers, doctors have seen a rising number of patients who seek medical advice on health risks prevalent in hot countries and health prevention measures to be taken in tropical destinations, especially where sanitation is poor. The risk for developing a medical condition while staying abroad depends on a variety of factors, including the traveller’s general health condition, health prevention measures taken before or during travel (vaccinations, antimalarial chemoprophylaxis, health precautions during air, road and sea travel, proper acclimatisation, prevention of heat injuries, protection against local flora and fauna, personal hygiene, water, food and feeding hygiene), as well as the prevalence of health risk factors in a given location. Health prevention is a precondition for safe travel and maintaining good physical health; in the era of a rapid growth in international tourism it has become of key importance for all travellers.

Abstract

All around the world there has been a rapid growth in the number of international travels. According to the World Tourism Organisation the number of international tourist arrivals reached 1,235 billion in 2016 and continues to grow at a high rate. This has been much due to the development of air transport (including low-cost airlines), increasingly common economic migration, a growing number of travellers visiting friends and relatives, and an increase in medical tourism. With tropical destinations becoming increasingly popular among travellers, doctors have seen a rising number of patients who seek medical advice on health risks prevalent in hot countries and health prevention measures to be taken in tropical destinations, especially where sanitation is poor. The risk for developing a medical condition while staying abroad depends on a variety of factors, including the traveller’s general health condition, health prevention measures taken before or during travel (vaccinations, antimalarial chemoprophylaxis, health precautions during air, road and sea travel, proper acclimatisation, prevention of heat injuries, protection against local flora and fauna, personal hygiene, water, food and feeding hygiene), as well as the prevalence of health risk factors in a given location. Health prevention is a precondition for safe travel and maintaining good physical health; in the era of a rapid growth in international tourism it has become of key importance for all travellers.
Get Citation

Keywords

health prevention, international journeys, travel medicine

About this article
Title

Travel health prevention

Journal

International Maritime Health

Issue

Vol 68, No 4 (2017)

Article type

Review article

Pages

238-244

Published online

2017-12-22

Page views

3061

Article views/downloads

3236

DOI

10.5603/IMH.2017.0042

Pubmed

29297575

Bibliographic record

IMH 2017;68(4):238-244.

Keywords

health prevention
international journeys
travel medicine

Authors

Krzysztof Korzeniewski

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