Ahlm C, Lundberg S, Fessé K, Wiström J
Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital of Umeå, Sweden.
Scand J Infect Dis. 1994;26(6):711-7. doi: 10.3109/00365549409008640.
500 consecutive travellers seeking pre-travel health advice were issued a questionnaire before leaving Sweden to continuously record health problems and use of medication during travel. Of 442 subjects who turned in assessable questionnaires (232 male and 210 female, mean age 37 years), 81% travelled to areas at high risk for the acquisition of diarrhea. The mean duration of travel was 4 weeks. During travel 218 (49% at 95% CI 44.3 to 53.7%) of the travellers experienced some illness and 61 (14%) had symptoms of more than one illness. The mean duration of illness was 4.5 days, and 65 subjects (30% of ill travellers) were confined to bed for a mean duration of 2 days. The incidence of illness was significantly (p < 0.01) higher among travellers to high risk than to low risk areas (55% vs 26%), among young travellers than among elderly (65% vs 33%), and among those going on adventure tours compared with recreational tourists (74% vs 41%). Diarrhea was reported by 36% (95% CI 31.6 to 40.5%), and respiratory tract infection by 21% (95% CI 17.2 to 24.8%). Self-medication with one or several drugs was initiated by 163 (75%) travellers experiencing illness during travel. Thus, every second Swedish traveller to tropical and subtropical areas experienced some kind of travel-related, often incapacitating, health problem.
500名寻求旅行前健康建议的连续旅行者在离开瑞典前收到一份问卷，以持续记录旅行期间的健康问题和药物使用情况。在442名交回可评估问卷的受试者中（232名男性和210名女性，平均年龄37岁），81%前往有感染腹泻高风险的地区。平均旅行时长为4周。旅行期间，218名（49%，95%置信区间为44.3%至53.7%）旅行者经历了某种疾病，61名（14%）有不止一种疾病的症状。疾病的平均持续时间为4.5天，65名受试者（患病旅行者的30%）卧床平均时长为2天。前往高风险地区的旅行者的发病率显著高于前往低风险地区的旅行者（55%对26%，p<0.01），年轻旅行者高于老年旅行者（65%对33%），进行探险旅行的旅行者高于休闲游客（74%对41%）。报告腹泻的占36%（95%置信区间为31.6%至40.5%），呼吸道感染的占21%（95%置信区间为17.2%至24.8%）。163名（75%）在旅行期间患病的旅行者自行使用了一种或几种药物。因此，每两名前往热带和亚热带地区的瑞典旅行者中就有一人经历某种与旅行相关的、通常使人丧失能力的健康问题。
