Pre-travel preparation of US travelers going abroad to provide humanitarian service, Global TravEpiNet 2009-2011.
Publication/Presentation Date
3-1-2014
Abstract
We analyzed characteristics of humanitarian service workers (HSWs) seen pre-travel at Global TravEpiNet (GTEN) practices during 2009-2011. Of 23,264 travelers, 3,663 (16%) travelers were classified as HSWs. Among HSWs, 1,269 (35%) travelers were medical workers, 1,298 (35%) travelers were non-medical service workers, and 990 (27%) travelers were missionaries. Median age was 29 years, and 63% of travelers were female. Almost one-half (49%) traveled to 1 of 10 countries; the most frequent destinations were Haiti (14%), Honduras (8%), and Kenya (6%). Over 90% of travelers were vaccinated for or considered immune to hepatitis A, typhoid, and yellow fever. However, for hepatitis B, 292 (29%) of 990 missionaries, 228 (18%) of 1,298 non-medical service workers, and 76 (6%) of 1,269 medical workers were not vaccinated or considered immune. Of HSWs traveling to Haiti during 2010, 5% of travelers did not receive malaria chemoprophylaxis. Coordinated efforts from HSWs, HSW agencies, and clinicians could reduce vaccine coverage gaps and improve use of malaria chemoprophylaxis.
Volume
90
Issue
3
First Page
553
Last Page
559
ISSN
1476-1645
Published In/Presented At
Stoney, R. J., Jentes, E. S., Sotir, M. J., Kozarsky, P., Rao, S. R., LaRocque, R. C., Ryan, E. T., & The Global TravEpiNet Consortium (2014). Pre-travel preparation of US travelers going abroad to provide humanitarian service, Global TravEpiNet 2009-2011. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 90(3), 553–559. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.13-0479
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
24445203
Department(s)
Department of Medicine
Document Type
Article
