N. Picot et al., TRAVELER GOING ABROAD - WHAT HE NEEDS TO KNOW, Bulletin de la Societe de pathologie exotique et de ses filiales, 86(5BIS), 1993, pp. 418-420
This study is based upon 727 questionnairies completed by French trave
llers 10 days after intercontinental travel. The response rate was 40%
. Two out of 5 travellers had generally mild health problems: fever (1
2%), diarrhoea (36%). Forty-six of them took drugs, which they had bro
ught with them during their travel. Ten per cent had a satisfactory vi
sit to a local physician. Medical informations given before departure
appears to be sufficient, useful and relevant in more than 90% of case
s. The traveller would like to receive them from his own physician or
from vaccination centers. Other informations as insurance, assistance,
administration, finances, appeared to have been incorrectly perceived
by 20% of the travellers. The travel agent is the one who should prov
ide adequate information. The traveller, in general, plans to do more
travelling for his own well being if not for his work. Would not the b
igger risk for him be ''not to travel at all''.