Injuries and medical emergencies among international travellers.
Details
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UNIL restricted access
State: Public
Version: Final published version
License: Not specified
Serval ID
serval:BIB_C861F4B13B2A
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Publication sub-type
Review (review): journal as complete as possible of one specific subject, written based on exhaustive analyses from published work.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Injuries and medical emergencies among international travellers.
Journal
Journal of travel medicine
ISSN
1708-8305 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
1195-1982
Publication state
Published
Issued date
28/01/2024
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
31
Number
1
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Review ; Journal Article
Publication Status: ppublish
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
Tropical infectious diseases and vaccine-preventable emergencies are the mainstay of pre-travel consultations. However, non-communicable diseases, injuries and accidents that occur during travel are not emphasized enough in these settings.
We performed a narrative review based on a literature search of PubMed, Google Scholar, UpToDate, DynaMed and LiSSa and on reference textbooks and medical journals dedicated to travel, emergency and wilderness medicine. Relevant secondary references were extracted. We also aimed to discuss newer or neglected issues, such as medical tourism, Coronavirus Disease 2019, exacerbations of co-morbidities associated with international travel, insurance coverage, health care seeking abroad, medical evacuation or repatriation and tips for different types of travellers' emergency medical kits (personal, group, physician handled).
All sources reviewed led to the selection of >170 references. Among epidemiological data on morbidity and deaths while abroad, only retrospective data are available. Deaths are estimated to occur in 1 in 100 000 travellers, with 40% caused by trauma and 60% by diseases, and <3% linked to infectious diseases. Trauma and other injuries acquired during travel, such as traffic accidents and drowning, can be reduced by up to 85% with simple preventive recommendations such as avoiding simultaneous alcohol intake. In-flight emergencies occur on 1 in 604 flights on average. Thrombosis risk is two to three times greater for travellers than for non-travellers. Fever during or after travel can occur in 2-4% of travellers, but in up to 25-30% in tertiary centres. Traveller's diarrhoea, although rarely severe, is the most common disease associated with travel. Autochthonous emergencies (acute appendicitis, ectopic pregnancy, dental abscess) can also occur.
Pre-travel medicine encounters must include the topic of injuries and medical emergencies, such as the risk-taking behaviours and foster better planning in a comprehensive approach along with vaccines and infectious diseases advices.
We performed a narrative review based on a literature search of PubMed, Google Scholar, UpToDate, DynaMed and LiSSa and on reference textbooks and medical journals dedicated to travel, emergency and wilderness medicine. Relevant secondary references were extracted. We also aimed to discuss newer or neglected issues, such as medical tourism, Coronavirus Disease 2019, exacerbations of co-morbidities associated with international travel, insurance coverage, health care seeking abroad, medical evacuation or repatriation and tips for different types of travellers' emergency medical kits (personal, group, physician handled).
All sources reviewed led to the selection of >170 references. Among epidemiological data on morbidity and deaths while abroad, only retrospective data are available. Deaths are estimated to occur in 1 in 100 000 travellers, with 40% caused by trauma and 60% by diseases, and <3% linked to infectious diseases. Trauma and other injuries acquired during travel, such as traffic accidents and drowning, can be reduced by up to 85% with simple preventive recommendations such as avoiding simultaneous alcohol intake. In-flight emergencies occur on 1 in 604 flights on average. Thrombosis risk is two to three times greater for travellers than for non-travellers. Fever during or after travel can occur in 2-4% of travellers, but in up to 25-30% in tertiary centres. Traveller's diarrhoea, although rarely severe, is the most common disease associated with travel. Autochthonous emergencies (acute appendicitis, ectopic pregnancy, dental abscess) can also occur.
Pre-travel medicine encounters must include the topic of injuries and medical emergencies, such as the risk-taking behaviours and foster better planning in a comprehensive approach along with vaccines and infectious diseases advices.
Keywords
Humans, Retrospective Studies, Emergencies, Communicable Diseases, Vaccines, Travel, Unintentional injuries, health care abroad, insurance coverage, medical evacuation, medical repatriation, non-communicable diseases, travel medical kit
Pubmed
Web of science
Create date
07/07/2023 9:38
Last modification date
18/07/2024 7:06