Follow-Up Of The International Traveler

Abstract

Travel health promotion aims to inform about the risks associated with international travel and ways to prevent them. At the U.O. Hygiene and Health Public of the Local Health Authority of Romagna, there are dedicated clinics that offer consultancy and vaccine prophylaxis.

There is currently no follow-up on the return of the traveler who has gone to the clinic.

In light of the above, a prospective observational study was prepared through the administration of an anonymous online questionnaire, drawn up on the basis of the available literature and aimed at international travelers who presented themselves for a pre-trip interview at the U.O. Hygiene and Public Health of the USL Company of Romagna A.T. of Rimini in the period between October 2019 and July 2020, in order to follow the traveler back to Italy and provide useful elements to guide and improve the pre-trip interview.

To complete the study, data was collected on the activity of the Rimini clinic for travelers for the period 2013-2019 and an analysis of the cases of imported infectious diseases reported in the province of Rimini in the period January 2015 -July 2020.

The traveler is informed about the health risks of the trip (94.1%), satisfied / very satisfied with the interview (92.1%) and with the information received (70.6%). The most frequently administered vaccinations to travelers are those against hepatitis A, yellow fever and typhoid fever. Malaria is the most frequently reported import disease, followed by hepatitis A and dengue. In 54.5% of cases, the reason for the trip was a visit to relatives or friends, data in line with the literature.