[Effective education on infection control for workers dispatched overseas]

The number of workers dispatched to developing countries has increased recently. The sanitary conditions in these countries are different from those in developed countries and from what the workers are used to. Therefore, health control, especially infection control, is an important consideration for working there. In this study, we investigate workers' needs as well as the occupational physicians' skills concerning working in developing countries. We propose a more effective education system for health control.

Regarding workers who have lived in developing countries, we surveyed the company profiles, duration of stay, vaccination status, infectious education, medical assistance, and satisfaction with infection control strategies of their employer companies. Regarding occupational physicians, we surveyed their profiles, their experiences in consultation, and advice from/to the workers dispatched to developing countries as well as their suggestive advice for staying there.

Factors that contributed to workers' satisfaction with their employment companies were prior education and health consulting services in addition to company size. Many occupational physicians believed that this kind of information should be supplied but they did not have the confidence to provide it.

Workers who are dispatched overseas should receive prior education and access to health consulting services. It is necessary for information providers such as occupational physicians to be knowledgeable in travel medicine.