[Knowledge, attitudes and practices among travellers to tropical and subtropical countries].
Passengers with destinations in developing countries have been interviewed prior to departure on Zurich Airport. A total of 946 questionnaires were evaluated, 337 on travel related malaria prior to visiting an endemic country, 609 on vaccinations. This corresponds to a response rate of 72.3%. Among the respondents 550 (58.1%) had received travel health advice by a doctor. Overall, 25.5% were immunized against hepatitis A. While 70.4% of those who had obtained travel health advice carried medication against malaria, only 31.3% of those without such advice did so. Travel health advice resulted in a significantly increased appreciation of the risk of hepatitis A or malaria at the destination. Considerations on healthy travel should become a cornerstone in travel planning; special risk groups have been identified.
Institut für Sozial-und Präventivmedizin der Universität Zürich, Abteilung Epidemiologie und Prävention ubertragbarer Krankheiten, WHO Collaborating Centre for Traveller's Health, Zürich, Schweiz.
S
S
Gisler
R
R
Steffen
M
M
Mütsch
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013557:Switzerland; D014195:Travel; D014329:Tropical Climate