Travel Guidance for People with Diabetes

Abstract

Diabetes is a disease which occurs by lack of insulin production or its inappropriate function. Patients with diabetes who take insulin suffer from high blood sugar and face unique challenges while travelling as their schedules for insulin dosage and blood sugar regulation change. Therefore they need to organize carefully how they have to travel, instruments they should take, the actions they must accomplish and vigilances they have to regard. Patients with diabetes have to prepare a list consisting of the type and dosage of medications they should take and tools them must carry which their doctor advice. Although there are general advices for all patients with diabetes, every single one needs specific observations according to his/her physic and health level. Patients with diabetes must gather information about the destination and draw a whole image of their trip in order to take the stress out as much as possible. Meanwhile, they should take all kinds of vaccinations according to their destination at least four weeks before travelling. Special diets and physical actions have to be considered as well and patients must match the taking of insulin with the destination time and also mind the direction of traveling (north, south, west or east).

The Characteristics and Health Problems of International Tourists who Visited Sanglah General Hospital between 2017 and 2019

“…This study also reported that 3 patients experienced fever which disrupted their blood sugar and 5 patients had to change their insulin dose as they were not accustomed to tropical conditions (Driessen, et al, 1999). A literature review from Morteza et al (2015) stated that the regulation of blood sugar level during travel needed special attention and planning before the travel itself (Morteza, Met al, 2015). A study by Han and Flaherty (2015) showed that there were 30 patients (1.1%) who traveled with Diabetes Mellitus comorbid and under medication (Han & Flaherty, 2015).…”

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of primary health care physicians regarding the pre-travel counselling of patients with type 2 diabetes in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

“…The self-administered questionnaire was developed by the principal investigator based on the study objectives and after a literature review of similar studies [8][9][10]. A panel of two diabetologists and one family physician, all of whom provide clinical care for patients with diabetes and are familiar with diabetes guidelines and the survey's development, assessed the questionnaire for appropriateness, accuracy, and relevance and were asked to critique the questionnaire's content.…”

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of primary health care physicians regarding the pre-travel counselling of patients with type 2 diabetes in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

“…The self-administered questionnaire was developed by the principal investigator (RD) based on the study objectives and after a literature review of similar studies. [8][9][10] A panel of two diabetologists and one family physician, all of whom provide clinical care for patients with diabetes and are familiar with diabetes guidelines and the survey's development, assessed the questionnaire for appropriateness, accuracy, and relevance and were asked to critique the questionnaire's content. To ensure the face validity of the questionnaire, it was presented to a sample of 20 participants in a pilot study and then finalized.…”