The number of people traveling abroad has declined significantly since 2006. One of the reasons for this decline may be that Baby Boomers are still the largest demographic in the nation and they worry about what might happen to if a medical emergency arises while theyâre traveling abroad.
Health Risks Abroad
There are a number of health risks tourists face when theyâre traveling overseas:
Diarrhea: The most common health complaint among travelers is diarrhea. Even when a tourist is visiting a developed country with high standards for public hygiene, that countryâs water supply will contain bacteria different from what visitors tolerate at home. Adapting to unfamiliar intestinal bacteria will cause travelers to experience loose bowel movements.
Hepatitis A: Some medical experts put the risk of acquiring hepatitis A while traveling abroad as high as one in 20. Hepatitis A is generally transmitted via a fecal-oral route, often when food servers fail to wash their hands after going to the bathroom. Hepatitis A is a serious disease that can lead to liver failure, particularly among the elderly.
Travel-related traffic accidents are not common but theyâre something many tourists fear because of the possibility that they might require a blood transfusion as part of emergency treatment. In most parts of the developing world, blood donations are not screened for infection and travelers receiving blood transfusions may be exposed to blood-borne viruses like HIV or Hepatitis B and C.
Travel Medical Insurance
There are many travel medical insurance policies specially designed for people who like to travel but who entertain health-related reservations. Travel medical insurance policies generally cover emergency medical treatment as well as evacuation to medical facilities that offer a more critical level of care should an attending physician deem such a move necessary. Premiums for travel medical insurance policies are determined on the basis of the policyholderâs age, the duration of the planned trip, and the specific countries the policyholder will be visiting.