International Travelers Should be Concerned More About Health Than Terrorism

In this age of extremely cautious travel, individuals venturing outside the U.S. borders should not only be mindful of suspicious activity, they should also remember a situation more likely to occur – getting sick while traveling.

"With everyone’s understandable concern about terrorism, travelers should not overlook the many health-related precautions they should take before departure. Preparing for a trip abroad – whether for business or recreation – includes more than just buying tickets or packing a suitcase," said Dr. Herbert L. DuPont.

Dr. DuPont is the former president of the International Society of Travel Medicine, co-editor of the textbook "Travel Medicine and Health," and he oversees St. Luke’s Travel Medicine program. He also is a consultant to the Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration.

"Travelers need to make sure they take precautions to stay healthy while traveling," he said. "St. Luke’s Travel Medicine is uniquely qualified to help people prepare for international travel. Any place they want to go, we’ll take care of them."

St. Luke’s Travel Medicine is designed to counsel travelers on staying healthy during and after international trips. The staff at St. Luke’s Travel Medicine is trained to conduct travel counseling sessions with future travelers as well as administer the necessary vaccines. Because information on travel-related illnesses and epidemics changes frequently, St. Luke’s Travel Medicine maintains up-to-the-minute data collected from the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Department of State.

Services provided at St. Luke’s Travel Medicine include:

• comprehensive evaluation of current health status with determination of risk factors for illness during travel;
• administration of all vaccines required or recommended for travelers’ destinations;
• documentation of immunization, which is required for entry into some countries;
• recommendation of state-of-the-art protective measures such as sunscreens, insect repellents, and protective clothing;
• prescriptions for emergency medications to treat life-threatening or severe allergic reactions; and
• references for medical care by English-speaking physicians – when available – in each country to be visited.

Registered nurse Joan Williams, clinical coordinator at St. Luke’s Travel Medicine, recommends that any person traveling abroad make an appointment up to two months before departure.

"That will give travelers enough time to schedule any vaccines they might need," she said.

Williams advises that recreational travelers, international business representatives, foreign exchange students, Peace Corps volunteers, and missionaries should all seek health counseling prior to travel.

St. Luke’s Travel Medicine sees travelers Tuesdays from noon to 5 p.m., Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and is located on the 23rd floor of St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital at 6720 Bertner. Call (713) 791-8222 to schedule an appointment.

E-Mail: tmcinfo@texmedctr.tmc.edu
URL: http://www.tmc.edu/tmcnews/11_15_01/page_17.html