Abstract
BackgroundWith globalization, more and more people travel to countries where they are at risk of injuries and travel-related diseases. To protect travelers’ health, it is crucial to understand whether travelers accurately perceive medical assistance resources before and during their trips. This study investigated the need, awareness, and previous usage of overseas emergency medical assistance services (EMAS) among people traveling abroad.MethodsAnonymous questionnaires were distributed to patients (n = 500) at a travel clinic in Taipei, Taiwan.ResultsThe results showed that EMAS were important, especially in the following categories: 24-h telephone medical consultation (91.8%), emergent medical repatriation (87.6%), and assistance with arranging hospital admission (87.4%). Patients were less aware of the following services: arrangement of appointments with doctors (70.7%) and monitoring of medical conditions during hospitalization (73.0%). Less than 5% of respondents had a previous experience with EMAS.ConclusionsEMAS are considered important to people who are traveling abroad. However, approximately 20–30% of travelers lack an awareness of EMAS, and the percentage of travelers who have previously received medical assistance through these services is extremely low. The discrepancy between the need and usage of EMAS emphasizes the necessity to adapt EMAS materials in pre-travel consultations to meet the needs of international travelers.
Highlights
With globalization, more and more people travel to countries where they are at risk of injuries and travel-related diseases
A total of 16.6% the respondents planned to participate in activities that may increase their risk of health problems, such as mountain climbing or jungle trekking, during their travel
The cross-sectional survey in a travel clinic clearly demonstrates that emergency medical assistance services (EMAS) is necessary for international travelers
Summary
More and more people travel to countries where they are at risk of injuries and travel-related diseases. In 2016, international tourist arrivals in all countries reached a total of 1235 million, representing a 3.9% increase over the prior year [1]. This number has been increasing for seven consecutive years and is projected to increase to approximately 1.8 billion international tourists by 2030 [1, 2]. Among these travelers, travelers visiting Asia and the Pacific region led this growth by an 8% increase in international tourism in 2016 [1]. 20 to 25% of traveler deaths are caused by
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