IAMAT |International Association of Medical Assistance to Travellers| IAMAT |International Association of Medical Assistance to Travellers|

Travel Health Journal

General Travel Health

Get Your Guide to Healthy Travel

Are you confused about all the travel health advice out there and don’t know if the information is credible? You’re not alone. You may come across inconsistent advice or don’t know if you can trust the source. Travel health advice can vary from country to country and even between different public health and travel medicine professional organizations. According to travel medicine practitioners Alan Magill and David Shlim: Some of the reasons why guidelines differ include availability of products in different countries, a different cultural perception or risk, lack of evidence (or differing interpretations of the same evidence), and sometimes just honest difference in opinion among experts. Another issue we encounter in our work is the lack of monitoring or ...

Health Risks Associated with Ecotourism

Booked your eco-adventure trip, check. Packed all your gear, check. But wait a minute, what about health considerations? Many of us don’t consider the health risks associated with ecotourism, including how we impact the health of the animals and communities we encounter abroad. Our guest blogger, Michael Muehlenbein, explains what you need to consider when planning your ecotourism vacation. What is ecotourism? Nature-based tourism accounts for a growing proportion of international tourism activity. Ecotourism is specifically a sustainable version of nature-based tourism that attempts to educate visitors while minimizing modification or degradation of natural resources and broadly benefiting the social and natural environments by involving the participation of local communities. Certainly most activities traditionally considered to be ecotourism-related, like ...

How to Assemble the Perfect Travel First Aid Kit

Guest post by Dr. Erik McLaughlin Preparing your travel first aid kit is a vital part of your pre-trip planning and packing. When I think about getting ready for a trip it usually involves packing. This means all my clothes laid out on the bed, some Bob Marley music in the background and deciding what I will need. What I need has to be balanced with space and weight. This is true with your first aid kit. The ‘Perfect’ kit The ‘perfect’ travel first aid kit is the kit that is carried with you and ready for any potential problem. If you talk to too many travel doctors, you will end up with a first aid kit that weighs ...

How to Avoid Medical Scams Abroad

Yesterday, Tullia Marcolongo, IAMAT’s Director of Programs and Development was asked by Sean O’Shea from Global TV’s Consumer SOS about avoiding medical scams abroad in light of recent reports from tourists being duped in Mexico. Some common medical scams experienced by travellers include: Taxi drivers taking commissions from private clinics to take ill tourists to their location. Doctors overcharging patients for consultations and suggesting unnecessary procedures. Clinics not accepting insurance coverage and asking for payment upfront by credit card or cash. Why is it important to be prepared with the names and locations of doctors and hospitals when people travel? In many countries the level of care is very different from what you expect back home. The standard of ...

IAMAT - The International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers

Travel and Road Safety – Know Your Risks

Did you know that the leading cause of death among travellers are road collisions? Statistics are consistently showing that the highest risk to travellers are traffic related injuries. According to a recent study done between 2007 and 2009 by the US Department of State on American travellers and expatriates, 32% of deaths reported were related to road accidents. As international tourism rates are on the rise and more people around the world are buying cars, many road safety and health advocates are sounding the alarm. In fact, the UN has declared 2011-2020, the Decade of Action for Road Safety. Left: Road traffic in Shanghai. Photo credit: Mr. Uncut Right: Sharing the road in Manila. Photo credit: Mr. Uncut Why ...

IAMAT - The International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers

Health is Part of Being a Responsible Traveler

When we think about Responsible Tourism, promoting respect for the cultures and the environment of our destination country come to mind. Health on the other hand, is the other component that is not often talked about. Learning about the cultures, regional geography, languages, and customs is key to being a responsible traveler, as is informing yourself about the potential health risks at your destination. While we have the means to protect our health, we also need to be mindful of how our health status impacts the people we come across during our travels. When it comes to travel, getting immunized against vaccine preventable diseases is not only for your benefit, but also for the locals you encounter abroad. At ...

IAMAT - The International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers

Medical Travel, Travel Medicine, What’s The Difference?

You can understand the confusion. Similar name, different medical specialty. Chances are you have heard these terms before, largely due to the prominence of low-cost, affordable international travel. But what exactly are medical travel and travel medicine? Medical travel (also known as medical tourism, global healthcare, and health tourism), involves patients who seek health care abroad for a variety of reasons, including the high cost of medical treatments and long waiting times back home, their insurance plans do not cover certain procedures, or they want quick access to cutting-edge medical technology available in other countries. Normally encompassing elective procedures such as cosmetic surgery, dental surgery, fertility or alternative medicine treatments, medical tourism is becoming increasingly popular for patients requiring ...