Over the next eight weeks thousands of Irish families will take their annual summer break, either at home or abroad. Travel is one of life's great pleasures, satisfying several human needs such as belonging, freedom, fun and curiosity. In his 2002 book, The Art of Travel, philosopher Alain de Botton argues that our travels "express an understanding of what life might be about, outside the constraints of work and the struggle for survival".
Most people on a trip experience minor irritations such as encountering ill-mannered travellers who keep their backpacks on in cafes and bars and, oblivious to the body-space entitlements of others, knock drinks over when they whip the backpacks around. Then there are the travellers who want to book several different train tickets for an entire month’s trip, ensuring others in the queue miss their trains. Asking for directions is becoming increasingly impossible as so many local people are absorbed in their mobile phones. These are trivial matters.
On a more serious note, travelling abroad can be risky and some countries are safer to visit than others. However, international travel is not as risky as insurance companies would have us believe. The likelihood of becoming ill while abroad is minimal, particularly the chances of having a cardiovascular event. A recent study by Finnish researchers published in the May issue of Eurosurveillance found that the commonest health problems travellers experience are minor infections and superficial injuries. Although the study was based on nine million trips made by Finns between 2010 and 2012, the findings are applicable to all EU countries. As the authors put it, "the types of exposure in a given destination are alike for all travellers, regardless of the country of origin, [so] the results of this study should be applicable to any country with a similar travel pattern." Ireland and Finland have similar travel patterns. In 2014, Irish people made nearly seven million trips, of which more than five million were to EU countries. Finns made the same number of trips.
Illness and trauma
The study investigated 50,710 cases of illnesses and trauma Finns experienced when travelling abroad. Of these, nearly two-thirds were cases of acute gastroenteritis and respiratory tract infections. Injuries comprised 14 per cent of cases. Three-quarters of these injuries were superficial and slightly more than one in five were fractures or minor head injuries. Only 2 per cent of incidents related to heart problems. The majority of cases were treated as outpatients (86 per cent), with just 14 per cent needing inpatient treatment. Return travel itineraries remained unchanged for 96 per cent of travellers. The incidence rate of illnesses or trauma varied dramatically depending on the region. In eastern and western Europe and the Americas, the rate was only eight incidents per 100,000 travel days. In the eastern Mediterranean (Israel, Turkey) and southern Europe (including Spain and the Canary Islands), the rate rose to 92. For Africa, the rate was 98 per 100,000 travel days.
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) the annual numbers of international arrivals globally, for business and pleasure, exceeded one billion in 2014, up from 25 million in 1950. Numbers of travellers abroad are expected to grow to two billion by 2030. Domestic tourists worldwide exceeded six billion in 2014. With so many people on the move it is important not only to stay healthy and enjoy the holiday, but also to ensure local people enjoy the experience. It is a two-way street. The Finnish study shows we do not need to worry too much about health. More important is the attitude that accompanies us on our travels. Our personalities (impatience, nit-picking, easy to please) travel with us on every journey. The most important aspect of a travelling mindset, according to de Botton, is “receptivity” and approaching new places with “humility”. Holidays can be disappointing unless travellers know “how to make much of little” instead of “making little of much”. Enjoy the summer and stay safe.
EHIC card
Bring your free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) when travelling to Europe. This allows the holder to access health services when visiting another EU or EEA country, or Switzerland. Slightly different rules apply in different countries, for example prescribed drugs are free in some countries and not in others, so check before travelling.
drjackyjones@gmail.com Dr Jacky Jones is a former HSE regional manager of health promotion and a member of the Health Ireland Council