Changes in the pattern of health disorders diagnosed among two cohorts of French travelers to Nepal, 17 years apart.
BACKGROUND
Few on-site studies involving local doctors have been published.


METHODS
We conducted a prospective on-site study of health problems occurring among French tourists to Nepal between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2001, and compared the results with those of an identical study performed in 1984.


RESULTS
Of the 21,457 French tourists who visited Nepal in 2001, 276 (1.3%) consulted the French Embassy doctor in Kathmandu with health complaints. The main reasons for seeking medical advice were diarrhea (26.8%), high-altitude illness (15.6%), lower respiratory tract infections (11.6%), dermatoses (8.7%), and fever (8.7%). Fifteen patients (5.4%) required hospitalization, five required medical evacuation (1.8%), and 14 (5%) were rescued by helicopter in the Himalayas. One patient died of cardiovascular disease. Relative to the 1984 cohort, significantly more patients consulted for high-altitude illness (p<.001), lower respiratory tract infections (p=.001), physical trauma (p=.01), and psychiatric disorders (p<.001), and significantly fewer patients consulted for dermatoses (p=.04), sexually transmitted diseases (p=.001), and upper respiratory tract infections (p=.005).


CONCLUSIONS
These results, obtained 17 years apart, illustrate the changes in the pattern of health disorders causing travelers in Nepal to consult a doctor.
Hochedez
Patrick
P
Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Garches, France.
Vinsentini
Pierre
P
Ansart
Séverine
S
Caumes
Eric
E
D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005334:Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005602:France / Q000208:ethnology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D009051:Mountaineering; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D014195:Travel