Traveling healthy: a guide for counseling the international traveler.

Nurse Pract. 1995 Oct; 20(10):38, 43-5, 48-50.NP

Pretravel medical history and itinerary review coupled with education and counseling precedes a mutual plan between the provider and the traveler for appropriate immunizations, prophylaxis for malaria, and precautions against travelers' diarrhea. This article provides a useful tool for taking a travel history, an overview of the immunizations recommended, and behavioral practices for prevention of illness and injury. Traveler-friendly resources are available for pretravel advice, health care abroad, emergency medical transport, special needs travelers, and U.S. State Department advisories. Planning should begin as early as possible to allow time for vaccine series, separation of vaccines to avoid adverse interactions, as well as prophylactic antimalarials that need to be initiated in advance of travel. Travelers with special needs should prepare ahead for access to care, medications, and medical identification. Returning travelers need to be counselled to report their travel to their provider if seeking medical attention post travel.