[Security: a shared concern]

During a stay abroad, travelers are exposed to dangers and threats. This is nothing new, and most of the risks (e.g. traffic accidents) remain the same for many years. Large territories have nonetheless become inaccessible due to political instability, national or international conflicts, terrorist threat, or kidnapping risk. It is thus necessary to consider the problematic of security, whether at the time of preparation or at the destination. Beyond the usual pre-departure health counseling, the primary care physician may have a role to accompany the traveller in the management of his or her security. The aim should be to make travelers conscious of hazards and direct him or her towards available resources for planning, decision making support, and implementation of risk mitigation measures.