Travel brochures need to carry better health advice.

Most people travelling abroad on holiday from the United Kingdom consult a travel brochure and book with a travel agent. Travel brochures are therefore potentially an important source of travel health advice. We assessed the quantity and quality of health advice of 143 travel brochures for 1994/5 winter and 1995 summer seasons available from a high street travel agent. Only 11% carried health information in a prominent location, 64% put health information at the end (often in small print), and 25% contained no health information at all. Much advice was superficial, and only a minority mentioned safe drinking water (24%), safe food (22%), or safe sex (3%). Better health advice more prominently displayed is needed in travel brochures. Public health practitioners should collaborate with travel companies and travel agents to improve the quality and quantity of health information provided to travellers.