A survey of travel clinics throughout the world

Abstract

Background: The growth of travel medicine as a specialty has been marked by a dramatic increase in the number of travel clinics worldwide. A survey was conducted of travel clinics to assess the current practice of travel medicine. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to members of the International Society of Travel Medicine, asking questions about clinic demographics, categories of advice given and immunizations available, and educational training of clinic personnel. Results: Responses from 341 clinics were analyzed; 57% were located in the United States; 21% in Europe; 6% in the United Kingdom or Ireland; 6% in Canada; and 11% from other areas of the world. Most clinics were private (41%); however, many other affiliations were represented, including schools of medicine (20%), hospitals (10%), and occupational medicine and student health practices (10%). The median number of patients seen per year was 750; however, the range was 6 to 50,000. Each clinic offered many vaccines, and advice for the prevention of malaria, diarrhea, and insect avoidance was given over 95% of the time. Providers of advice were nurses (57% of the time) and physicians (83%); however, in the United States nurses gave advice independently more frequently (22% vs. 8%, p