Essential Health Tips for Travelers

2. Health

3. Looking after yourself • Physical Health • Emotional Health • Mental Health • Relationship Health - discuss prior to leaving • Spiritual Health

4. Before you go? • Full physical and dental examination • Spare pair glasses (and prescription) • Supply of prescription drugs? • Written health record • If taking prescription medication may need a letter from your doctor

5. Vaccinations & Malaria Prophylaxis • www.cdc.gov • Go to Travelers’ Health • Scroll down to country you’re going to

6. What to put in your traveller’s medical kit

7. Basic Prevention • Wash hands often / hand sanitising gel • Dry body well after washing • Drink clean water • Eat steaming hot cooked food - ‘Boil it, Cook it, Peel it or Forget it’ • Beware of different road standards: try to wear seatbelts and wear a helmet on motorbikes - consider getting motorbike license here prior to leaving.

8. Mosquito Bites • Name 3 things you can do to avoid mosquito bites

9. Preventing Mosquito Bites… • Cover up in daytime and evening • Avoid wearing perfume or aftershave • Use repellent containing DEET - at least 10% need “tropical strength” • Sleep under treated nets • Use coils or knockdown sprays before bed • Sleep under fan

10. Scenario 1 – Part A • You eat with a local family and forgot to take your hand sanitiser with you and couldn’t wash your hands. They serve you a warm chicken salad and you wake up in that night with your stomach churning. Soon follows vomiting and diarrhoea... you remember you have your trusty medical kit with you what can you do to help you in this situation ... • 1 answer - worth 2 points • What could you have done to prevent this

11. If you develop Gastro… • Wash hands often • Keep fluids up to replace losses - small regular sips of rehydration solution • Eat but avoid fatty/dairy foods for several weeks after • Most cases will resolve in 3 days or so but you may be lactose intolerant for a couple of weeks.

12. Scenario 1 – Part B • It’s now the next morning and you’re feeling worse. There’s now blood in your diarrhoea and you think you have a fever ... what should you do now? • 2 answers

13. What to do… • Can try the Norfloxacin you have in your bag (1 point) • Seek medical help if blood in stools, fever, severe abdominal pain, uncontrolled vomiting or if diarrhoea lasts more than 5 days (1 point)

14. Scenario 2 • You develop high fevers and a headache and are not feeling well. You recently got back from a trip to an area where there may have been dengue or malaria. What should you do?

15. Fever • If you are in (or have recently been in) a malarial area and have a fever you MUST seek medical attention. • Call your travel insurance to find out where to go.

16. Scenario 3 – Part A • For the girls - you’ve been on antibiotics and this country is so hot and sweaty ... you unfortunately have developed an embarrassing itch and discomfort ‘down below’ ... what can you do?

17. What to do… • Most likely thrush - take the diflucan in your medical kit • Avoid synthetic clothing - cotton underwear. • Can try vinegar baths - 1/2 cup vinegar in a shallow bath

18. Scenario 3 – Part B • For the boys - you’ve also got an embarrassing itch in the groin area

20. Fungal Infections • Use the Hydrozole - 3 x / day for as long as the symptoms are there and then for another 1-2 weeks to make sure it’s gone. • Regular cool showers • Dry carefully • Don’t share towels • Wear cotton socks and underwear • Treat fungal infections aggressively and continue for a week after it resolves

21. Scenario 4 • You love dogs and there is a beautiful little puppy on the side of the road that you can’t resist. You go over to see it and he bites you. What should you do? • 2 points available

22. Dog bite • Scrub wound with soap and water +++ • Seek medical attention ASAP / Call your travel insurer - need to worry about infection and rabies!

23. Worms • You will get intestinal worms if in the tropics for much time • Reduce worm load by regular hand washing and wearing shoes • Treat yourself every 6 months

24. Head lice • Only a nuisance • Use head lice shampoo weekly • Use fine tooth comb to comb out lice • If fails, conditioner and combing will keep under control • Wash bedding in hot water to kill eggs

25. After Returning Home… • Medical check up advisable? • Continue malaria prophylaxis for recommended time • If you develop a fever seek medical attention promptly (can appear years down the track) – tell your doctor you have lived in a malaria area and ask for a blood test

26. Thank you ... hope you’re still awake!