KC Biz Market Sponsored By
Click here to download the latest Flash Player.
click to visit these companies
|
|
|
|
|
Health Matters: Health Tips for Traveling Internationally |
|
|
|
Health Tips for Traveling Internationally
Taking preventive measures can keep you healthy on overseas business trips.
By Dr. J. Stephen Scherer
International business travel is becoming more common, even among small companies as many markets become global. In addition to taking care of transportation, lodging and arranging meetings, the wise traveler also finds out about health issues in the countries they will visit.
Traveling internationally may pose potential health risks that can be eliminated, or at least minimized. Pre-travel protection can help you avoid getting sick as a result of viral, bacterial or protozoan diseases endemic to the countries you visited.
Averting the Risks
Knowledge of risks is key to staying healthy. Getting the proper information according to your specific itinerary, and the appropriate vaccines and medications for you as an individual, will help you to accomplish your business goals without the aggravation and inconvenience of becoming ill while away from home.
To stay healthy, get the proper information, preventative antibiotics and vaccines before you leave home. The Centers for Disease Control Web site (www.cdc.gov) offers broad information for international travelers. However, not all international travel needs are the same. For example, a business traveler going only to a major city in China or India and staying in a four or five-star hotel may not need the same level of protection as a backpacker trekking in rural areas of third world countries. Seeking the proper guidance in pre-travel health planning is important. Clinics that specialize in travel medicine can provide current information, vaccines and indicated prescriptions for your destination.
As soon as you have a fairly good idea of the country or countries you will visit, start preparing for your trip from a health perspective. You should allow at least 4-6 weeks before departure for receiving preventive vaccines, such as Hepatitis A, Tetanus/Diphtheria booster (if an update is needed) or other vaccines that may be recommended or required, depending on your medical history and country-specific itinerary. In most cases you can't get vaccines too early, because most are effective for several years. For some types of protection, a series of vaccinations are given over weeks or months to ensure full coverage against infection. Other vaccines, such as a polio booster for adults, are one-time only, and recommended for just certain countries.
Wise international travelers make sure that they are covered not only with the vaccines needed to stay healthy while abroad, but also with over-the-counter products and prescription medications, if needed.
Those Pesky Bugs
People traveling to India and many other countries should have protection against Dengue Fever, a mosquito-borne illness that is transmitted during the daytime hours. Because there is no vaccine to prevent its transmission, using good insect precautions is extremely important.
Prescriptions for prophylaxes are available to help combat another mosquito-borne illness, malaria, which attacks during the dusk-to-dawn hours. There are several antibiotics that offer protection, but not all are necessarily recommended for everyone. Personal health history is a factor in determining which drug may be best for you.
Taking the anti-malarial drug does not offer total protection, so you should also use insect precautions in conjunction with taking the prescribed medication. These precautions may include using the proper types of repellants on the skin and/or clothing. Certain types of repellants are more effective and safer to use than others. Be careful not to use a product containing over 50 percent DEET, which could be toxic. The higher concentration of DEET does not offer additional protection than lower percentage types.
Additional Precautions
In general, be aware and follow these guidelines to help minimize risk of food or water-born illness, including traveler's diarrhea, which can be severe if not properly treated with antibiotics:
- Drink only boiled or bottled water and bottled or canned carbonated beverages
- Hot tea and hot coffee made with boiled water is okay
- Avoid ice served in drinks
- Only eat food that has been thoroughly cooked and freshly prepared, not re-heated
- Eat fruit if you can peel it yourself or if it has been cooked
- Do not purchase food from street vendors
- Use bottled water for brushing your teeth
Also, keep in mind that many injuries occurring in a foreign country are caused by traffic accidents, and being unfamiliar with the area. Use common sense and always buckle up when traveling by automobile. And, use extra caution when crossing the streets, as some city streets are more congested than what we are accustomed to in the United States. Even pedestrian crossways may be confusing or non-existent in places.
When traveling internationally, pre-travel health preparation and knowledge of risks is a key to staying healthy. Getting the proper information according to your specific itinerary and the appropriate vaccines and medications for you as an individual will help you to accomplish your business goals without the aggravation and inconvenience of becoming ill while away from home.
Remember, taking care of business starts before ever stepping on the plane. Seeking the advice of a medical professional trained in international travel medicine is a good start to a successful trip, thus ensuring that you and your company can maximize your time, talent and productivity while abroad.
Dr. J. Stephen Scherer, M.D., is medical director of the Travel and Immunization Clinic in Overland Park. You can reach him at (913) 469-0011. Visit the clinic's Web site at www.travelandimmunizationclinic.com for more information.
|
|
| |
|
|
