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Investigating Tourists' Emergency Healthcare Access Barriers: A Systematic Literature Review
Panagiota Peleka1,2, Dimitra-Maria Aggelopoulou2,3, Olga Siskou2
1401 General Military Hospital of Athens, 11525 Athens, Greece.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 28, 2026
Summary
Tourists seeking emergency medical care abroad face significant barriers, including language, cultural, access, and financial issues. Addressing these challenges is crucial for improving traveler safety and experiences.
Area of Science:
- Global Health
- Travel Medicine
- Healthcare Access
Background:
- Tourists undertaking domestic or international travel for various reasons may encounter unexpected medical emergencies.
- Lack of preparedness for medical emergencies abroad can lead to significant challenges for travelers.
- Seeking emergency healthcare services while traveling presents unique barriers and difficulties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and identify the specific challenges and barriers faced by tourists when accessing emergency healthcare services internationally.
- To synthesize existing research on tourist experiences with emergency medical care in foreign healthcare systems.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted across major databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect) from January 1995 to October 2025.
- Inclusion criteria focused on studies involving tourists seeking emergency healthcare abroad.
- A narrative synthesis approach was employed due to methodological heterogeneity, pre-registration with PROSPERO (ID CRD420251156975).
Main Results:
- Ten studies (5 cross-sectional, 5 retrospective), primarily from Asia, were included, involving diverse participant numbers.
- Key identified barriers include language and cultural differences, inadequate access to appropriate and timely care, and financial/insurance-related problems.
- These challenges negatively impact the overall travel experience for tourists requiring emergency medical attention.
Conclusions:
- Tourists encounter substantial obstacles when seeking emergency healthcare internationally, impacting their travel experience.
- Proactive strategies are necessary to enhance the accessibility and quality of emergency medical services for international travelers.
- Improving healthcare accessibility and quality for tourists is essential for mitigating negative travel outcomes.
Keywords:
accessibilitybarriersemergency medical carepatient experiencessatisfactiontouriststravelersunmet healthcare needsurgent health careMore Related Videos
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