Health problems among Thai tourists returning from India
Jutarmas Olanwijitwong1, Watcharapong Piyaphanee2, Kittiyod Poovorawan2
1Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Journal of Travel Medicine
|April 21, 2017
Summary
Over half of Thai tourists visiting India reported health issues, with respiratory and musculoskeletal problems being most common, not traveler's diarrhea. This highlights unique health risks for Asian travelers to India.
Area of Science:
- Travel Medicine
- International Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Increasing number of Thai tourists traveling to India.
- Limited research on health issues specific to Asian travelers in India.
- Existing studies primarily focus on European and North American travelers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the health problems experienced by Thai tourists during travel to India.
- To identify common health issues and associated risk factors in this demographic.
- To inform pre-travel health advice for Thai travelers to India.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study design.
- Data collected via questionnaires from 1,304 Thai tourists returning from India.
- Included pre-travel preparation, travel characteristics, and health problems during and after the trip.
Main Results:
- 52% of Thai tourists reported health problems during their trip to India.
- Most common issues were respiratory symptoms (31.1%) and musculoskeletal problems (21.7%), not traveler's diarrhea.
- 16.8% reported new symptoms upon return to Thailand, with respiratory issues remaining prevalent.
Conclusions:
- Thai tourists visiting India face significant health risks, with respiratory and musculoskeletal issues being most common.
- Health risks for travelers to India may differ based on nationality and origin.
- Findings are crucial for tailoring pre-travel health assessments and care for Thai travelers.
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