International travel preparedness: a guideline for occupational health professionals

1. With businesses becoming more global, occupational health nurse are often confronted with the challenge of assessing health risks and providing preventive measures and counseling for expatriates. 2. In assessing health risks for the expatriate, consider the entire itinerary, length of stay, and living accommodations; the occupation or lifestyle of the individual; whether the expatriate is pregnant or relocating with children; chronic health conditions; age; allergies; immunocompromised conditions; psychological health; and medications. 3. Update all travelers on routine immunizations including: tetanus/diphtheria; polio vaccine; measles/mumps/rubella vaccine; influenza and pneumococcal vaccines. Other immunizations are based on geographic risk. 4. Predeparture education and counseling based on risk assessment also is essential.