Surveying Health-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors of U.S.-Based Residents Traveling Internationally to Visit Friends and Relatives
Erica Rapheala✉, Steven T. Stoddardb, Kathryn B. Andersona c d e
- aUniversity of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- bEmergent BioSolutions Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland
- cDepartment of Medicine, State University of New York-Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
- dDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, State University of New York-Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
- eInstitute for Global Health and Translational Sciences, State University of New York-Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
- ✉Corresponding author
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Abstract
U.S. residents traveling internationally to regions with increased risk of infectious diseases infrequently seek pretravel health care. First- and second-generation immigrants traveling to their countries of origin and visiting friends and relatives (VFRs) have increased risk of certain infectious diseases and are more likely to participate in high-risk activities. In an online survey of 994 U.S. residents with two foreign-born parents who went on at least one international trip to an at-risk country (defined as having a typhoid vaccine recommendation) in the prior 3 years, respondents were questioned about their international travel over the previous 3 years and their knowledge and individual risk of disease. Participants reported infrequently seeking pretravel health information (32% of trips) or consulting a healthcare provider before their trips (15% of trips). Participants reported seeking pretravel health information less often for VFR trips home (22%) than to other regions (30%). Perceived risk of disease was directly associated with seeking pretravel health information (82% for the highest and 13% for the lowest perceived risk), consulting a healthcare provider (55% for the highest and 5% for the lowest perceived risk), and reporting travel-associated illness (54% for the highest and 10% for the lowest perceived risk). Respondents were generally knowledgeable about cholera, hepatitis B, malaria, and rabies but had low knowledge of hepatitis A and typhoid. Understanding where VFR travelers lack understanding of disease transmission and which travelers are ideal targets for interventions has the potential to shape physician recommendations and public health strategy in this vulnerable population.
TL;DRUnderstanding where VFR travelers lack understanding of disease transmission and which travelers are ideal targets for interventions has the potential to shape physician recommendations and public health strategy in this vulnerable population. (Semantic Scholar)