The present situation of prophylactic vaccination in Japan for travel abroad

Health risk management behaviors and related factors among Japanese university students participating in short-term study abroad programs

BACKGROUND

Overseas travelers should prepare for health problems at their destinations prior to travel. No prospective studies have evaluated factors related to health risk management behaviors among overseas travelers, specifically young travelers.

METHODS

We prospectively collected data from pre- and post-travel questionnaire surveys, targeting students of a university in Japan who participated in short-term study abroad programs (n = 532, 6 to 38 travel days and 11 countries). We examined health information collection, receipt of travel vaccinations for the programs and medical kit preparation as health risk management behavior outcomes and their related factors among the participants (82.7% follow-up rate).

RESULTS

In total, 17.5%, 8.0% (28.6% in Southeast Asia) and 68.9% of participants, respectively, collected travel health information via the Japanese or foreign official websites, received travel vaccinations and carried commonly used medicines. Female, travel experience to study destination, parental medical occupation and presence of illness in treatment were positively associated with the health risk management behaviors after adjusting for the covariates including study destination. For example, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval [CI]) of receiving travel vaccinations was 4.16 (1.70-10.2) for parental medical occupation relative to non-medical occupation. The adjusted OR (95% CI) of collecting travel health information was 2.54 (1.04-6.21) for travel experience to study destination relative to no overseas travel experience.

CONCLUSIONS

Personal characteristics including overseas travel experience and parental occupation provide a useful insight into approaches to promoting health risk management among university students traveling abroad.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Japanese travelers on infectious disease risks and immunization uptake

BACKGROUND

There is concern that Japanese travelers are poorly protected against travel-associated infectious diseases including vaccine-preventable infections. This prompted us to study Japanese travelers for measures taken to reduce their risk of acquiring an infectious disease and their immunization uptake.

METHODS

During April 2007 to May 2008, a questionnaire study was conducted using the European Travel Health Advisory Board (ETHAB) protocol and targeting Japanese group tour clients as well as individual travelers to developing countries.

RESULTS

A total of 302 returned questionnaires were analyzed. While the majority (87.4%) sought general information on their destination, few (38.7%) sought the travel health information. Very few (2.0%) got the health information from travel medicine specialists. More than half were either unaware of the risks or thought there was no risk of hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and typhoid fever in their destination. Only half (50.7%) thought vaccines provided sufficient protection and very few (13.6%) believed that vaccines were safe. For most of the vaccine-preventable diseases, only fewer than 10% had received the vaccines.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a need for specialized travel health services in Japan and health professionals should be encouraged to expand these services. Japanese travelers should be made aware of the importance of seeking pre-travel health advice and information on the health risks at their destination. Travel health professionals should provide a balanced view of the risks and benefits of immunization, and misperceptions about immunization should be addressed.