Travel Agency Awareness of the Health Risks of International Travel; A Pilot Study

Authors

1 School of Medicine, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland

2 International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

3 Tropical Medical Bureau, Dublin, Ireland

Abstract

Introduction: Travel agencies may be consulted by intending travelers seeking pre-travel health advice. Travel agents should be equipped to deal with such queries and have access to a source of high quality travel health advice. This study aimed to establish the level of knowledge of travel health risks among Irish travel agencies.

Methods: A web-based survey was distributed to travel agents affiliated with the Irish Travel Agents Association. The questionnaire recorded the travel agents´ approach to clients seeking pre-travel health advice. Specific knowledge relating to health risks in specific destinations, the mode of spread of infectious tropical diseases and the need to direct clients to a source of professional travel health advice was assessed.

Results: Twenty four travel agents responded to the questionnaire. Sixty-three percent of respondents reported that traveling clients frequently seek their advice about destination health risks. The majority of travel agents respond to their enquiries by suggesting that the traveler attend their general practitioner or travel medicine specialist. Less than a third (32%) of those questioned provide health information leaflets to their clients. The majority of agents estimated that fewer than 20% of travelers attend their practice with insufficient time remaining to consult with a healthcare professional. Travel agents generally underestimated the health risks associated with popular travel itineraries. There was a low level of knowledge of the mode of transmission of various tropical infectious diseases. The majority of respondents (81%) welcomed an opportunity to engage with travel medicine specialists.

Conclusions: This study highlights the need to educate travel agents on travel health risks and travel health advice provision. 

Keywords

References

  1. Van Herck K, Zuckerman J, Castelli F, Van Damme P, Walker E, Steffen R, European Travel Health Advisory Board. Travelers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices on prevention of infectious diseases: results from a pilot study. J Travel Med 2003;10:75-78.
  2. McKercher B, Packer T, Yau MK, Lam P. Travel agents as facilitators or inhibitors of travel: perceptions of people with disabilities. Tourism Manag. 2003;24:465-74.
  3. Seelan ST, Leggat PA. Health advice given by general practitioners for travelers from Australia. Travel Med Infect Dis. 2003;1:47-52.
  4. Grabowski P, Behrens RH. Provision of health information by British travel agents. Trop Med Int Health. 1996;5:730-32.
  5. Schwitz FM, Haley TJL, Stat C, Hatz CFR. Health information given by Swiss travel agencies. J Travel Med. 2006;13:294-99.
  6. Packham CJ. A survey of notified travel-associated infections: implications for travel health advice. J Public Health 1995;17(2):217-22.
  7. Bauer IL. Health advice in Australian travel brochures. J Travel Med 2002;9:263-66.
  8. Leggat PA. Sources of health advice given to travelers. J Travel Med 2000;7:85-88.
  9. Villanueva-Meyer PG, Garcia-Jasso CA, Springer CA, Lane JK, Su BS, Hidalgo IS, et al. Advice on malaria and yellow fever prevention provided at travel agencies in Cuzco, Peru. J Travel Med 2015;22(1):26-30.
  10. Cossar JH, McEachran J, Reid D. Holiday companies improve their health advice. BMJ. 1993;306:1070-71.
  11. Phillips-Howard PA, Blaze M, Hurn M, Bradley DJ. Malaria prophylaxis: survey of the response of British travellers to prophylactic advice. BMJ. 1986;293:932-4.
  12. Shickle D, Nolan-Farrell MZ, Evans MR. Travel brochures need to carry better health advice. Commun Dis Public Health. 1998;1(1):41-3.
  13. Reid D, Cossar JH, Ako TI, Dewar RD. Do travel brochures give adequate advice on avoiding illness? BMJ. 1986;293:1472.
  14. Lawton G, Page S. Evaluating travel agents’ provision of health advice to travellers. Tourism Management. 1997;18(2):89-104.
  15. MacDougall L, Gyorkos T. Promoting travel clinic referrals: exploring partnerships for healthier travel. Social Science and Medicine. 2001;53:1461-68.
International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health

Volume 3, Issue 2
Spring 2015
Pages 45-48

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 25 February 2015
  • Revise Date: 02 May 2015
  • Accept Date: 18 May 2015

Share

How to cite

Statistics