Publication: Health problems and health care seeking behavior among adult backpackers while traveling in Thailand
Issued Date
2016
Resource Type
Language
eng
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Mahidol University
Rights Holder(s)
BioMed Central
Bibliographic Citation
Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines. Vol.2, (2016), 9
Suggested Citation
Chayasin Mansanguan, Wasin Matsee, Peyawadee Petchprapakorn, Nujareenart Kuhakasemsin, Niracha Chinnarat, Jutarmas Olanwijitwong, Watcharapong Piyaphanee Health problems and health care seeking behavior among adult backpackers while traveling in Thailand. Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines. Vol.2, (2016), 9. doi:10.1186/s40794-016-0026-9 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/3163
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Authors
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Thesis
Title
Health problems and health care seeking behavior among adult backpackers while traveling in Thailand
Abstract
Background: Health problems among travelers in developing countries are not uncommon. Little is known about
the occurrence of health problems and their impacts among backpackers in Thailand. The objective of this study
was to assess the health problems and the health seeking behavior among adult backpackers who visited Thailand.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. Data were collected from foreign adult backpackers
in Khao San Road, Bangkok. They were asked about their demographic data, health problems (if any), and
health-care seeking behavior if they became ill.
Results: During May to July 2015, 420 backpackers were enrolled in this study. Of these, 51.4 % were male with
a median age of 26.4 years. Up to 66.9 % were of European origin, while 17.4 % were North American. Fifty-eight
percent sought pre-travel consultation before traveling. In this study, 10.2 % (43/420) of the participants reported
at least health problem during travel. Most of them (79.1 %) had single episode of illness. Of this, diarrhea was the
most common health problem (30.4 %), followed by abdominal pain (14.3 %), skin problems (8.9 %), respiratory
problems (8.9 %), accident-associated injury (7.1 %), and febrile illness (7.1 %). One third of backpackers with health
problems spontaneously recovered without any treatment, while nearly a quarter treated themselves with standby
medication, and one in five had to buy over the counter medication. Just over 9 % of backpackers with a health
problem sought medical care at a hospital. Among travellers with health problems, 72.1 % reported that their
health problems did not significantly impact to their trip, while 23.3 % had to delay or postpone their trip for at
least 1 day, and 4.7 % had to cancel some trip and/or activity. Longer duration of stay was significantly related to
higher occurrence of health problems while traveling.
Conclusions: Approximately 10 % of adult backpackers experienced some health problems during their trip in
Thailand. Although most of their health problems were mild, up to 22 % of backpackers with health problems
need to seek medical care either in a clinic or in a hospital.