Abstract
BackgroundStudies carried out on specific travelers’ groups such as students describe an increase in the consumption of alcohol and drugs during travel and vacation time. The present study investigates the risk behaviors (alcohol and drugs) in a general adult population in Switzerland travelling abroad who visited a travel clinic before departure.MethodsThis retrospective study was conducted in a travel clinic between January 2006 and December 2008. 14,496 patients came to the clinic for a pre-travel consultation. 3,537 of them answered a questionnaire about their life habits in Switzerland and during their last trip. The only exclusion criterion was an age inferior to 18 years old.The consumption habits of drugs and at-risk alcohol intake (8 standard drinks (SD) per week for women and 15 SD for men) was analyzed according to gender, sex, destination and profession. Predictors of adopting a risky behavior between habits in Switzerland and during their previous trip were also analyzed.Results7% (229/3477) of participants declared having at-risk alcohol consumption in Switzerland and 14% (473/3275 [95% CI 13–16]) during their trip. 9% (332/3527) of the participants used drugs in Switzerland and 5% (178/3481) during their trip. Risk factors for at-risk alcohol consumption during a trip were: at-risk alcohol consumption in Switzerland (OR 31[95% CI 21–45]), smoking (1.7 [95% CI 1–2]), use of drugs in Switzerland (OR 2.2 [95% CI 2–3]), leisure travel (OR 1.6 [95% CI 1–2]) and managerial professions (OR 1.8 [95% CI 1–3]). Risk factors for the use of drugs during a trip were: alcohol consumption in Switzerland (OR 2.1 [95% CI 1–4]), smoking (OR 1.9 [95% CI 1–3]), and use of drugs in Switzerland (OR 29.7 [95% CI 19–45]).ConclusionsAt-risk alcohol consumption and, to a lesser extent, use of drugs, affect a large number of travelers which expose them to health problems during a trip. Exploring the alcohol and drugs consumption patterns of people visiting a travel clinic should be part of the pre-travel routine consultation and would allow to identifying people who would benefit most from a specific prevention.
Highlights
Studies carried out on specific travelers’ groups such as students describe an increase in the consumption of alcohol and drugs during travel and vacation time
This study explores the consumption of alcohol and drugs of clients of a travel clinic during their trip abroad in comparison to their habits in Switzerland
Overall at-risk alcohol consumption increased during a trip, while the use of drugs appears to decrease during a trip
Summary
Studies carried out on specific travelers’ groups such as students describe an increase in the consumption of alcohol and drugs during travel and vacation time. The present study investigates the risk behaviors (alcohol and drugs) in a general adult population in Switzerland travelling abroad who visited a travel clinic before departure. The proportion of persons who had a “binge drinking” episode (more than 4 drinks per occasion for men and 3 for women) at least once a month reached its peak in the 15–24 years old group (21%) before decreasing linearly with age (2% in the group of 75 years old and above) [12]. According to the Swiss Health Survey of 2007, 22% of persons under 70 years old had smoked cannabis at least once in their lives, mostly among young people: 45% of men and 26% of women between 25 and 34 years old. In Switzerland, 4% of men versus 2% of women older than 15 years had used cocaine once and 2% of men versus 1% of women had tried ecstasy [14]
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