Gaps in Utilizing Traveller Health Services in Dubai, Policies, Practises and Protocols

Abstract

Background: International travel can pose various risks to health, depending on the characteristics of both the traveller and the travel. Travellers may encounter sudden and significant changes in altitude, humidity, microbes, and temperature, which can result in ill health. In addition, serious health risks may arise in areas where accommodation is of poor quality, hygiene and sanitation are inadequate, medical services are not well developed and clean water is unavailable. Objective: To assess knowledge, attitude and practice towards travel health among Dubai’s travellers traveling abroad. Methods: A cross sectional survey was carried out in Jebel Ali Free zone‘s companies employees where on line self- administrated questionnaire has been distributed to the employees of randomly selected 20 companies. 162 responses were collected. Results: The study showed that only 22.8% of respondents had sought pre-travel health advice from travel clinic, 77.8% of respondents were less than 40 years old, and of (40.7%) of respondents planned their trips only one to 2 weeks before travel. The most frequently reported destinations were, Asia (30.2%), India (24.7%) followed by Africa which constitutes (16%). There was a good knowledge regarding importance of vaccination (96.2%), and malaria drug prophylaxis (83.4%), but there was a low attitude towards vaccinations (55.6%). Conclusions: The result of this short study period provided a valuable insight into the knowledge, attitude and practice of the respondents with significant low awareness of pre-travel health advice as reflected by the low uptake of specialist travel medicine advice with regard to travel vaccinations and malaria Prophylaxis which highlighted an important educational need for Dubai travellers.