Background: Hepatitis B is endemic in much of Asia, Africa, and parts of South America, regions that are increasingly popular destinations for American travelers. The frequency of hepatitis B risks during travel has been examined for Europeans but not Americans. Further, limited data are available to describe the domestic hepatitis B risk factors of American travelers, the proportion vaccinated, and whether immunization activities target travelers at highest risk. We conducted a survey of international travelers to address these issues.
Methods: A survey was mailed to 884 American international travelers, of whom 618 (70%) responded. The survey covered demographic and travel characteristics, sources of pre-travel health advice, immunization status, and items needed to assess hepatitis B vaccination candidacy. Travel-specific items concerned the most recent trip to a hepatitis B endemic region. Hepatitis B risk during the most recent trip was classified as high, potential, or none based on potential exposure to blood or bodily fluids.
Results: Only 31% of respondents visited any health practitioner to obtain pre-travel health advice; 13% visited a travel medicine specialist. Totally 45% of respondents reported (3)1 domestic or travel-related hepatitis B risk, and 8% were at high risk during travel. Risk factors were more common among younger travelers and those with longer travel durations. Travel medicine specialists were more likely than nonspecialists to provide hepatitis B vaccine (40% vs 21%, p= 0.01). Travelers with risk factors were no more likely to be vaccinated in specialist or nonspecialist settings. Upon departure, only 19% of all travelers and 30% of travelers with risk factors had received three or more hepatitis B vaccine doses.
Conclusions: Most US travelers to hepatitis B endemic regions do not secure pre-travel health advice, and most have not received three doses of hepatitis B vaccine. A substantial share are candidates for hepatitis B vaccination based on their domestic activities, and/or face hepatitis B risks during travel.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1708-8305.2006.00055.x | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Predicting the Risk of Future Terrorism: Lessons for Mental Health Experts from the Benbrika Case.
J Law Med
November 2024
Associate Professor, La Trobe Law School, La Trobe University.
Risk assessment is an important component of judicial decision-making in many areas of the law. In Australia, those convicted of terrorist offences may be the subject of continued detention in prison or extended supervision in the community if there is an "unacceptable risk" of them committing future terrorism offences. Forensic psychologists and psychiatrists may provide evidence of risk through identifying and measuring risk factors with the aid of tools that use scales based on statistical or actuarial risk prediction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrevalence and correlates of postpartum PTSD following emergency cesarean sections: implications for perinatal mental health care: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
BMC Psychol
January 2025
Department of Midwifery, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece.
Background: The increasing awareness of the emotional consequences of emergency cesarean deliveries (C-sections) highlights their substantial role in fostering postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to evaluate the prevalence and determinants of PTSD following emergency C-sections, as well as the implications of these events on maternal mental health and welfare.
Methods: Undertaking extensive searches of Scopus, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar, we have incorporated studies published from 2013 onwards that examined the occurrence of PTSD following emergency C-sections.
Retrospective analysis of the occurrence, potential risk factors and medical significance of pulmonary complications after total shoulder arthroplasty from the National Inpatient Sample database (2010-2019).
Perioper Med (Lond)
January 2025
Department of Anesthesiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China.
Background: In USA, total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) ranks amongst the top five surgeries that require hospitalization. As a result, the healthcare system in USA could face a considerable financial strain due to the emergence of subsequent pulmonary problems. This study aimed to conduct a thorough examination of the prevalence, influential factors and medical importance of pulmonary complications, with emphasis on pneumonia, respiratory failure and pulmonary embolism (PE) following total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) procedures in USA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUmbilical outpouchings in pigs - an international survey on fitness for transport, welfare and management.
Porcine Health Manag
January 2025
Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 2, Frederiksberg C, 1870, Denmark.
Background: Umbilical outpouchings (UOs) in pigs are a multifactorial disease and little is known about effective prevention strategies and risk factors for UO development. UOs are common in Danish pigs and legislation complicates and increases the cost of keeping and raising pigs with UO. Recommendations for preventive measures exist but the scientific evidence behind the recommendations is often lacking.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOSBPL3 modulates the immunosuppressive microenvironment and predicts therapeutic outcomes in pancreatic cancer.
Biol Direct
January 2025
School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
Background: Pancreatic cancer is characterized by a complex tumor microenvironment that hinders effective immunotherapy. Identifying key factors that regulate the immunosuppressive landscape is crucial for improving treatment strategies.
Methods: We constructed a prognostic and risk assessment model for pancreatic cancer using 101 machine learning algorithms, identifying OSBPL3 as a key gene associated with disease progression and prognosis.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!