title: Are French general practitioners consulted before travel to developing countries? A cross-sectional study conducted in a French airport.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  General practitioners (GPs) could play a central role in preventing travel-related health issues. The aim of this study was to assess, in travellers departing to developing countries from a French airport, the proportion of individuals having sought GP counseling before departure and to identify determinants for having consulted a GP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study conducted between November 2012 and July 2013, in all adults living in France. Sociodemographic, health characteristics, type of travel and resources consulted before departure were collected. A descriptive analysis was performed. Determinants for having consulted a GP before departure were investigated using a logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 360 travellers included, 230 (64%) sought health counseling before departure. GPs were the main source of information for 134 (58%) travellers having sought health information and the only one for 49 (21%). Almost half of the travellers (48%) departing to sub-Saharan countries did not seek health counseling from a medical doctor (GP, non-GP specialist, specialist consulted in an international vaccination center or occupational physician). Individuals significantly more likely to travel without having consulted a GP were young and male, held foreign nationality, had travelled more than five times before, rarely consulted their GP and were travelling to a non-malarious area.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GPs were the main but not the only source of information and counseling before traveling to a developing country. This study helps identify the characteristics of individuals likely to travel without having consulted a GP before departure.
authors.affiliation: Département de médecine générale, faculté de médecine, université Paris-Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France. Electronic address: kmila102@msn.com.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rovira
authors.affiliation: Département de médecine générale, faculté de médecine, université Paris-Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buffel du Vaure
authors.affiliation: Département de médecine générale, faculté de médecine, université Paris-Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Partouche
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059028:Airports; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014195:Travel
keywords: Conseils; Counseling; Developing countries; General practice; Médecine générale; Parcours de soins; Pays en développement; Travellers; Voyageurs