Consultations on international travel in Palencia
Section: Health and quality of life
How to quote
Vián González EM, Mateos Baruque ML, Andrés Puertas MC, González Megido MJ, Gallardo López MT. Consultas de viajes internacionales en Palencia. Metas de Enferm dic 2007/ene 2008; 10(10): 12-17
Authors
1Eva Mª Vián González, 2Mª Loreto Mateos Baruque, 3Mª Carmen Andrés Puertas, 1Mª José González Megido
Position
1 Enfermera. Técnico medio de la Sección de Epidemiología. Servicio Territorial de Sanidad y Bienestar Social de Palencia.2Técnico superior Médico especialista en Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública.3Jefe de Servicio Territorial de Sanidad y Bienestar Social de Palencia.
Contact address
Servicio Territorial de Sanidad y Bienestar Social. Sección de Epidemiología. Avda. Casado del Alisal, 32. 34001 Palencia.
Contact email: viagonev@jcyl.es
Abstract
Objectives: to study the characteristics of the consultations made at the International Travel Unit of Palencia in 2004 and to describe the extent of adhesion/compliance to preventive recommendations, the adverse effects reported after the administration of vaccines and antipaludic chemoprophylaxis and the health problems reported by travellers in their journeys.
Material and methods: cross-sectional descriptive observational study. Data were obtained by means of two polls (a personal interview before the trip and a telephone interview after the trip) which compiled sociodemographic variables, characteristics of the trip, previous vaccinations, preventive recommendations and their compliance, post vaccine adverse effects, antipaludic post chemoprophylaxes, costs of the preventive treatment and health problems that occurred during the trip. The results were analysed by descriptive statistics and the Chi square test for the comparison of variables. Odds Ratios and their interval confidence intervals were calculated at 95%.
Results: 596 travellers were attended in 2004. 474 (79%) were reached on the telephone after the trip. The South American continent was chosen by the majority of travellers (41%) and 60% decided for an organised trip. Vaccination against tetanus/diphtheria (50,4%) and mefloquine
(Lariam®) (55,9%) were the most recommended vaccine and antipaludic agent, respectively.
Side effects secondary to the intake of antipaludic agents were more common with mefloquine (67,8%). 40,3% of the travellers had health problems during their trip and 20,3 upon their return. Diarrhoea (44,5%) was the most commonly referred health problem during their journey due to the food they ate in 25% of subjects.
Conclusions: people intending to travel should visit the International Travel Unit with sufficient time in advance to take the necessary precautions and get advice. Most travellers followed the recommendations given to them, being diarrhoea the most common problem.
Keywords:
international travel; international health; epidemiology; vaccines; antipaludic agents; chemoprophylaxis; adverse effectsdiarrhoea
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