Traveler Health
Why Employers Care
As the global economy grows, so does the demand for domestic and international business travel. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) over 800 million international trips were taken in 2006. Any amount of travel exposes the individual to changes in altitude, humidity, disease agents and temperature — all of which can lead to ill-health.1 Considering the number of trips taken each year, the effects of travel extend beyond individual health to impact population health. Employers can play a critical role in providing services and information that will help employees stay healthy despite travel demands.
What Employers Can Do
Employers have implemented travel health programs on-site or may contract for services through travel health clinics in the community. Typical services offered include: pre-travel assessments complete with a review of an employee's health status and vaccination profile; information about the risks posed by the environment in the travel destination (e.g. malaria, yellow fever) and necessary precautionary steps; required vaccinations; and information about where to seek quality medical treatment in locations abroad.
Global Health Benefits Institute Resources
- Travel Health & the Globetrotting Executive – September 25, 2007
This presentation reviewed travel patterns, health risks in travel, risk assessment, risk management, and corporate travel medicine.
- UPS Corporate Travel Health Services – September 25, 2007
A representative from UPS presented the company's travel health services and outlined issues related to the access, availability and administration of services.
- Employer Background on Global Travel – January 23, 2006
This summary provides employers with background on global travel as well as highlights from a New England Journal of Medicine article on global travel burden.
- Employee Tip Sheet for International Travel and Health – January 23, 2006
This tip sheet provides employees with information and recommendations for international travel and how to safeguard their health. The recommendations include what an employee should do before, during, and after travel as well as provides a list of health-related items to bring on the trip.
- Travel and Avian Flu
Other Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
World Health Organization
Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy
State Department
International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit Registry
Clinic Directory
1 WHO. International Travel and Health. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2007
|
