Hill DR, Behrens RH
The International Traveler's Medical Service, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, U.S.A.
J Travel Med. 1996 Mar 1;3(1):46-51. doi: 10.1111/j.1708-8305.1996.tb00696.x.
Background: The growth of travel medicine as a specialty has been marked by a dramatic increase in the number of travel clinics worldwide. A survey was conducted of travel clinics to assess the current practice of travel medicine. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to members of the International Society of Travel Medicine, asking questions about clinic demographics, categories of advice given and immunizations available, and educational training of clinic personnel. Results: Responses from 341 clinics were analyzed; 57% were located in the United States; 21% in Europe; 6% in the United Kingdom or Ireland; 6% in Canada; and 11% from other areas of the world. Most clinics were private (41%); however, many other affiliations were represented, including schools of medicine (20%), hospitals (10%), and occupational medicine and student health practices (10%). The median number of patients seen per year was 750; however, the range was 6 to 50,000. Each clinic offered many vaccines, and advice for the prevention of malaria, diarrhea, and insect avoidance was given over 95% of the time. Providers of advice were nurses (57% of the time) and physicians (83%); however, in the United States nurses gave advice independently more frequently (22% vs. 8%, p <.001) than in other parts of the world. Clinics also frequently gave telephone advice (15% charged for this service) and evaluated ill returned travelers. Over 60% of physicians had trained in infectious diseases and/or tropical medicine, although there were training differences between regions of the world. Conclusions: Travel clinics throughout the world demonstrate similarities as well as differences in practice. Defining these will help in determining practice needs in the growing field of travel medicine.
旅行医学作为一门专业的发展，其标志是全球旅行诊所数量的急剧增加。对旅行诊所进行了一项调查，以评估旅行医学的当前实践情况。方法：向国际旅行医学会的成员发送了一份问卷，询问有关诊所人口统计学、所提供建议的类别和可用疫苗，以及诊所工作人员的教育培训等问题。结果：分析了来自341家诊所的回复；57%位于美国；21%在欧洲；6%在英国或爱尔兰；6%在加拿大；11%来自世界其他地区。大多数诊所是私立的（41%）；然而，还存在许多其他附属机构，包括医学院（20%）、医院（10%）以及职业医学和学生健康机构（10%）。每年就诊患者的中位数为750人；然而，范围在6至50000人之间。每家诊所都提供多种疫苗，超过95%的时间会给出预防疟疾、腹泻和避免蚊虫叮咬的建议。提供建议者为护士（占57%的时间）和医生（占83%）；然而，在美国，护士比世界其他地区更频繁地独立提供建议（22%对8%，p<.001）。诊所还经常提供电话咨询（15%对这项服务收费）并评估患病归来的旅行者。超过60%的医生接受过传染病和/或热带医学方面的培训，尽管世界不同地区在培训方面存在差异。结论：世界各地的旅行诊所实践既有相似之处也有不同之处。明确这些将有助于确定旅行医学这一不断发展领域的实践需求。
