title: Factors determining use of pre-travel preventive health services by West African immigrants in The Netherlands.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine for what reasons West African immigrants, who contribute the largest single group of malaria cases in the Netherlands, visit pre-travel preventive health services and whether use of such services is likely to improve use of preventive measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured interviews with eligible participants recruited through West African churches and societies and at a large festival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 70% of the total non-random sample of 292 participants said that they always use pre-travel preventive health services before travelling. Being from Ghana (OR = 2.5), having legal residency status (OR = 2.5), visiting friends and relatives rather than going for business or funeral (OR = 6.7), and living in Amsterdam (OR = 5.1) were all independently associated with using pre-travel preventive health services, as were taking general preventive measures (OR = 3.0), and self-reported use of malaria prophylaxis. Higher use of pre-travel preventive health services was not associated with better knowledge of malaria as such.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  West Africans, in particular non-Ghanaians, illegal immigrants and West African immigrants leaving at short notice should be encouraged to use pre-travel preventive health services. Adequate methods to reach these groups need to be developed, including health education on the importance of prevention in general.
authors: Municipal Public Health Service, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Herbert J
authors: HJ
authors: Schilthuis
authors: Ingrid
authors: I
authors: Goossens
authors: Robert J
authors: RJ
authors: Ligthelm
authors: Sake J
authors: SJ
authors: de Vlas
authors: Corlien
authors: C
authors: Varkevisser
authors: Jan H
authors: JH
authors: Richardus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000354:Africa, Western / Q000208:ethnology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000208:ethnology; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014195:Travel