Illness and injury of travellers abroad: Finnish nationwide data from 2010 to 2012, with incidences in various regions of the world

Abstract

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A closer look at travellers' infections abroad: Finnish nationwide data with incidences, 2010 to 2012

“…SOS International (SOS), serving Nordic and Baltic insurance companies, provides travellers with 24-h emergency assistance: advice, medical evaluation, referral to treatment, cost coverage and arrangement of transportation if indicated for medical reasons. SOS covers approximately 95% of all Finnish cases (77% of inpatients, 99.8% of outpatients) handled by assistance organizations of insurance companies abroad [3]. The study material covers Finnish travellers that used health care services abroad and were reported to SOS.…”

“…The study material covers Finnish travellers that used health care services abroad and were reported to SOS. Coordinating doctors are assigned to 86% of inpatient and 1% of outpatient cases [3]. They stay in contact with patient and clinician abroad, examine medical reports, evaluate treatment, and give orders for repatriation.…”

“…They stay in contact with patient and clinician abroad, examine medical reports, evaluate treatment, and give orders for repatriation. Non-medical assistance coordinators see to the uncomplicated inpatient, and to 99% of outpatient cases, recording diagnoses provided by clinicians abroad [3]. Earlier, we retrieved data on all cases, 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2012, a total of 50,710.…”

“…Less data are available on travel to developed countries. Recently, we showed that more than half of all health problems during travel are infections [3].…”

“…Even though they represent only 10% of the world population, they are responsible for half of world's international arrivals [1]. Our earlier report [3] presented data on 50,710 Finnish travellers with health problems abroad, as retrieved from an assistance organization (SOS International) covering 95% of Finns requiring aid abroad. In addition to presenting proportionate morbidity, we combined those data with the annual numbers of travellers to various destinations that are recorded in the Official Statistics of Finland (OSF) [25], enabling calculation of incidence of illness and injury during travel.…”