Australians travelling abroad without health and safety information: How many and who are they?

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Abstract
More than two and a half million Australians travel overseas on short‐term visits every year. Despite the information available on prevention of health problems, there is little data on how many and which Australians travel abroad without health and safety information. The aim of the study was to determine how many and which Australians depart international airports without having received or sought health and safety information. One hundred and forty two travellers were interviewed over three consecutive summer months at two airports in north Queensland. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for variables which might identify those travellers without information were produced by logistic regression analyses. Fifty one per cent had not been given, and 39% had not sought, any information prior to departure. Information of a medical nature was the type most frequently given to travellers or sought by them. Few or no travellers received, or sought, information about problems related to food and water, the marine environment, sun and elements or flora and fauna. Tourism personnel or publications was the most common source of information given to, or sought by, travellers. Travellers who had not been given, or sought, any health and safety information were more likely to reside in medium sized towns (OR 6.3; 95%CI 13–26.6); to be visiting low medical risk areas (OR 5.6; 95%CI 2.1–15.0) and to have previously visited the tropics (OR 3.7; 95% CI 1.2–11.0). Both the proportion of travellers with health and safety information and its scope should be increased. Tourism professionals and publications are in a position to do this. Experienced travellers and those residing outside large towns or visiting low medical risk areas should receive particular attention.

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