BACKGROUND: People are at greater risk of health problems when travelling and a significant number of travel-related health problems are associated with the effects of travel on pre-existing chronic diseases. Medications play a key role in the management of these conditions. However, there is a notable lack of research evaluating the potential medication-related risks associated with travel. OBJECTIVE: To apply a systematic pharmaceutical care model developed to evaluate potential pharmaceutical risks (PPRs) and pharmaceutical care issues (PCIs) in travellers. SETTING: Adult travellers leaving Cairns International Airport, Australia, for an international destination. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey using semi-structured interviews, including a systematic medication history, followed by the application of a pharmaceutical care model to evaluate each participant for PPRs and PCIs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Evaluation of standard clinical and travel-related PPRs and PCIs. RESULTS: Medications for chronic diseases were being taken by 47.7% of the 218 travellers interviewed. Although 75.2% of participants presented with no PPRs, a total of 274 PCIs were identified across 61.5% of the participants, with an average of 2.04 PCIs per participant. The most prevalent PCIs related to the inadequate precautions taken by some travellers visiting malaria-endemic regions. Although 91 participants recognised that they were travelling to malaria-endemic regions, 65.9% of these participants were not using malarial chemoprophylaxis, and only 16.5% were using chemoprophylaxis that fully complied with standard recommendations. The second most prevalent PCI was the need for 18.8% of participants to be educated about their medications. Other PCIs identified have the potential to increase the risk of acute, travel-related conditions, and complicate the care of travellers, if they inadvertently became unwell while overseas. CONCLUSION: PPRs and PCIs were not identified in all participants. However, the impact of many of the identified medication-related issues could be substantial to the traveller. This study represents the novel application of a pharmaceutical care model to identify potential PPRs and PCIs in travellers that may not be identified by other pre-travel risk assessment methods.
BACKGROUND:People are at greater risk of health problems when travelling and a significant number of travel-related health problems are associated with the effects of travel on pre-existing chronic diseases. Medications play a key role in the management of these conditions. However, there is a notable lack of research evaluating the potential medication-related risks associated with travel. OBJECTIVE: To apply a systematic pharmaceutical care model developed to evaluate potential pharmaceutical risks (PPRs) and pharmaceutical care issues (PCIs) in travellers. SETTING: Adult travellers leaving Cairns International Airport, Australia, for an international destination. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey using semi-structured interviews, including a systematic medication history, followed by the application of a pharmaceutical care model to evaluate each participant for PPRs and PCIs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Evaluation of standard clinical and travel-related PPRs and PCIs. RESULTS: Medications for chronic diseases were being taken by 47.7% of the 218 travellers interviewed. Although 75.2% of participants presented with no PPRs, a total of 274 PCIs were identified across 61.5% of the participants, with an average of 2.04 PCIs per participant. The most prevalent PCIs related to the inadequate precautions taken by some travellers visiting malaria-endemic regions. Although 91 participants recognised that they were travelling to malaria-endemic regions, 65.9% of these participants were not using malarial chemoprophylaxis, and only 16.5% were using chemoprophylaxis that fully complied with standard recommendations. The second most prevalent PCI was the need for 18.8% of participants to be educated about their medications. Other PCIs identified have the potential to increase the risk of acute, travel-related conditions, and complicate the care of travellers, if they inadvertently became unwell while overseas. CONCLUSION: PPRs and PCIs were not identified in all participants. However, the impact of many of the identified medication-related issues could be substantial to the traveller. This study represents the novel application of a pharmaceutical care model to identify potential PPRs and PCIs in travellers that may not be identified by other pre-travel risk assessment methods.
Authors: Koen Van Herck; Jane Zuckerman; Francesco Castelli; Pierre Van Damme; Eric Walker; Robert Steffen Journal: J Travel Med Date: 2003 Mar-Apr Impact factor: 8.490
Authors: Koen Van Herck; Pierre Van Damme; Francesco Castelli; Jane Zuckerman; Hans Nothdurft; Atti-La Dahlgren; Sandra Gisler; Robert Steffen; Panagiotis Gargalianos; Rogelio Lopéz-Vélez; David Overbosch; Eric Caumes; Eric Walker Journal: J Travel Med Date: 2004 Jan-Feb Impact factor: 8.490