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Manual of Travel Medicine pp 1–17Cite as

Principles of Pre-travel Healthcare

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Abstract

The pre-travel health consultation provides an opportunity to assess the health risks of travel for an individual and provide education and advice to promote healthy travel. A key component of the pre-travel consultation is an individualised health risk assessment, based on traveller demographics and details of the planned trip (including itinerary, duration and planned activities). Comprehensive pre-travel healthcare should include the provision of appropriate interventions (such as immunisations), as well as tailored education and advice about health risks, risk reduction strategies and appropriate care of illness or injury should it occur. Advice should be individualised, but there are several common themes and principles that underpin sound, consistent and high-quality health advice for travel, which are outlined in this chapter. Those advising travellers should be familiar with these principles, have a good working knowledge of travel medicine issues (including disease epidemiology) and know when and how to access up-to-date information. Due to the nature and volume of complex information provided during pre-travel consultations, it is essential to provide travellers with clear and concise supplementary information.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Professor of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Physician University of Melbourne, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Joseph Torresi

  2. Knox Private Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Joseph Torresi

  3. Epworth Eastern Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Joseph Torresi

  4. Austin Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Joseph Torresi

  5. Infectious Diseases Physician, Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Sarah McGuinness

  6. Lecturer, Infectious Disease Epidemiology Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Sarah McGuinness

  7. Professor of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Physician, Head of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Karin Leder

  8. Head of Travel Medicine and Immigrant Health, Victorian Infectious Disease Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital Peter Doherty, Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Karin Leder

  9. Associate Professor, Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Daniel O’Brien

  10. Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Geelong, Geelong, VIC, Australia

    Daniel O’Brien

  11. Associate Professor, Nossal Institute for Global Health, School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Tilman Ruff AO

  12. International Medical Advisor, Australian Red Cross (1996–2019), Founding Head of Travel Medicine at Fairfield and Royal Melbourne Hospitals, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Tilman Ruff AO

  13. Paediatrician, Infectious Diseases Physician, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Director of Paediatric Education, , Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Honorary Clinical Associate Professor, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Mike Starr

  14. Infectious Diseases Physician, Public Health Physician and Senior Research Fellow, The Austin Hospital, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, and The University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Katherine Gibney

Authors
  1. Joseph Torresi
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  2. Sarah McGuinness
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  3. Karin Leder
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  4. Daniel O’Brien
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  5. Tilman Ruff AO
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  6. Mike Starr
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  7. Katherine Gibney
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© 2019 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

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Torresi, J. et al. (2019). Principles of Pre-travel Healthcare. In: Manual of Travel Medicine. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-7252-0_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-7252-0_1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-13-7251-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-13-7252-0

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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