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PatientPlus articles are written for doctors and so the language can be technical. However, some people find that they add depth to the articles found in the other sections of this website which are written for non-medical people.

Travel Advice

Global travel trends have meant a huge increase in the numbers of people travelling abroad, and to increasingly remote countries. Travel is cheaper, and people generally have a greater proportion of disposable income. There is a greater awareness of different cultures through the medium of television and more opportunities to travel related to study or work.
In the 1960s international travellers numbered <100 million. By 2002 this number was closer to 715 million.1
Between 1990 and 2000 there was 4.3 % growth annually in the tourism trade, with the largest growth in travel to the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific.

Many problems are due to ignorance, indiscretions, and lack of immunity, which are all at least partly amenable to forward planning. Accidents (± alcohol abuse) are the most frequent cause of problems in travellers.
HIV, malaria and cholera are the other great threats.

  • EMIS customers may wish to use the regularly updated travel advice in the EMIS/UCL Hospital for Tropical Diseases travel database on the Travel section homepage.
  • If in doubt the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) can be contacted on 020 7380 9234 or advice found on the web.2
  • Another source of information is The Department of Health Booklet "Health information for overseas travel 2001" - 'The Yellow Book'.3 It is also available online, but requires registration.
    It provides comprehensive information on the following issues:
    • Disease risks and recommendations for immunisation and malaria chemoprophylaxis by continental group and country
    • Accidents, injuries and recreational water hazards 4
    • Prevention of travellers' diarrhoea and other food and water borne diseases 5
    • Prevention of malaria 6
    • Arthropod borne diseases (other than malaria) 7
    • Immunisation for overseas travel 8
    • Sexually transmitted and blood borne infections, including HIV and hepatitis B 9
    • Respiratory diseases 10
    • Environmental hazards: heat, cold and altitude 11
    • Dangerous bites and stings 12
    • Medical considerations for the journey: travel by air, sea or land 13
    • Travellers with pre existing medical conditions 14
    • Pregnancy and travel 15
    • Travel with children 16
    • The returning traveller 17
    • Exemption from the requirement for an International Certificate of Vaccination 18
    • Useful addresses and telephone numbers 19

NB: Patients should be advised to consult Foreign & Commonwealth Office - Travelling Overseas, for up-to-date advice on safety issues in particular countries.20

Within EMIS a selection of pages exist on Advice for Travellers.

Document References
  1. Nothdurft HD and Caumes E, Epidemiology of Health Risks and Travel. In: Zuckerman JN, editor principles and Practice of Travel Medicine. Chichester. Wiley;2001.
  2. National Travel Health Network and Centre
  3. DOH Health Information for Overseas Travel (yellow book)
  4. The Yellow Book. Accidents, injuries and recreational water hazards
  5. The Yellow Book. Prevention of travellers' diarrhoea and other food and water-borne diseases
  6. The Yellow Book. Prevention of malaria
  7. The Yellow Book. Arthropod-borne diseases (other than malaria)
  8. The Yellow Book. Immunisation for overseas travel
  9. The Yellow Book. Sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections, including HIV and hepatitis B, and overseas travel
  10. The Yellow Book. Respiratory diseases and travel
  11. The Yellow Book. Environmental hazards: heat, cold and altitude
  12. The Yellow Book. Dangerous bites and stings
  13. The Yellow Book. Medical considerations for the journey: travel by air, sea or land
  14. The Yellow Book. Travellers with pre-existing medical conditions
  15. The Yellow Book. Pregnancy and travel
  16. The Yellow Book. Travel with children
  17. The Yellow Book. The returning traveller
  18. The Yellow Book. Appendix 1: Exemption from the requirement for an International Certificate of Vaccination
  19. The Yellow Book. Appendix 2: Useful addresses and telephone numbers
  20. Foreign & Commonwealth Office - Travelling Overseas
Internet and Further Reading Acknowledgements EMIS is grateful to Dr Hayley Willacy for writing this article. The final copy has passed scrutiny by the independent Mentor GP reviewing team. ©EMIS 2007.
DocID: 2885
Document Version: 20
DocRef: bgp1634
Last Updated: 23 Apr 2007
Review Date: 22 Apr 2009

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PS - Health and Poverty

Perhaps the biggest cause of ill health in the world is poverty. Help to Make Poverty History. For example, why not lend some of your money to disadvantaged communities to enable them to trade their way out of poverty through schemes such as Shared Interest.

See also MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY North East for details and links to campaigns against poverty.

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