Preparedness of adolescents departing from Athens International Airport to Africa or Asia: A five-year airport-based prospective study.

Background: The number of adolescents who travel has increased. We estimated the preparedness of adolescents (12-18 years) departing from Athens to Africa and Asia.

Methods: An airport-based survey was conducted from 2011 to 2015.

Results: Sixty-eight adolescents participated; 27/68 (40%) had the Greek nationality. Their main destinations were the Indian subcontinent (37%) and South-East Asia (32%). Most adolescents planned to stay for <1 month (69%) or for 1-3 months (22%). Their main purpose for travel was to visit friends and relatives (VFRs) (60%). Compared to non-VFR adolescents, VFRs more frequently travelled to sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, stayed in local residences and for longer periods. Twenty-one (31%) adolescents sought pre-travel counseling (in 57% of cases 8-14 days before departure). Having the Greek nationality was the only significant factor associated with an increased probability for seeking pre-travel counseling. Vaccination against rabies, typhoid fever, Japanese encephalitis and meningococcus was highly inadequate for adolescents travelling to endemic areas. Significant gaps in malaria chemoprophylaxis were found in those travelling to the Indian subcontinent.

Conclusions: Less than one third of adolescents travelling to Africa and Asia seek counseling. There is a need to access adolescent travellers in Greece and improve pre-travel vaccinations and malaria chemoprophylaxis.