Irish unaware of health risks of travel - report

Irish holidaymakers are unaware of the health risks when travelling abroad and lack an understanding of the vaccinations required, according to a new report.

Published by the Irish Society of Travel Medicine, the study claims many Irish people each year put themselves in danger of contracting infectious diseases such as Hepatitis B.

The report found 63 per cent of holidaymakers travelling to "at-risk" destinations had not been vaccinated against Hepatitis B and yet were engaging in activities that may lead them to seek medical attention and hence put them at risk.

It said many people were also partaking in "at-risk" activities such as jet-skiing, parasailing and bungee jumping.

President of the Irish Society of Travel Medicine Dr David Thomas said: "Many people don’t realise that Hepatitis B is a highly infectious liver disease which is vaccine preventable".

Dr Thomas said: "Travel vaccinations protect for up to 10 years, which works out at roughly €20 a year, a worthwhile health investment if you were to consider the consequences of contracting an infectious disease such as Hepatitis B".

The report also found that 24 per cent of those who had received travel vaccinations did not know which travel-related diseases they had been vaccinated against.

The report said: "One in four Irish holidaymakers would seriously consider having casual sex whilst abroad and among 18-24 years olds these statistics increase to two in five".

"Of the 13 per cent who had casual sex on holidays, 30 per cent had not used a condom, and of those 75 per cent had not been vaccinated against Hepatitis B," it said.

Almost 20 per cent of those who had travelled to package holiday destinations in Egypt, Turkey and Morocco had had a holiday romance. Of these, 75 per cent had not been vaccinated against Hepatitis B, it said.

Hepatitis B is serious liver disease that is on the rise in Ireland. Between 1997 and 2000 there was a five-fold increase in the incidence.