Addressing travelers’ perception of risk in pre-travel care: Reports from a travel clinic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Travel medicine is aimed at promoting health risk reduction. However, travelers' perception of risk is subjective and may influence implementation of recommendations. This study reports on travelers' perception of risk, pre-travel characteristics, and recommended interventions. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. Results: This study included 111 individuals. Most travelers (74%) perceived their risk as low. Significant differences in travel-related risk perception between practitioners and travelers were observed (Gwet's agreement coefficient [AC1] 0.23; standard error 0.10; 95% confidence interval 0.02-0.44). Conclusions: Future studies should investigate the relationship between travelers' perception of risk and implementation of recommendations.