Newswise — (Orlando – April 29) A panel of experts in occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) offered background and advice to help employers keep their workers who travel internationally in good health during the opening day of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine’s (ACOEM) 98th annual meeting.

Leslie Yee, MD, of Skylark Health Strategies, Ltd., noted that the global economy is becoming increasingly interconnected, with world trade as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) on the upswing in both industrial nations and emerging markets. As more and more countries become globally engaged, he said, more workers will be required to travel internationally, opening them to new health risks. Well-known diseases, such as malaria, continue to be a problem, but other new threats are on the rise, such as hepatitis B.

Both blood-borne and food-borne illnesses contracted during international travel can add health care costs and impact productivity for employers, Dr. Yee said. Additionally, threats from animal disease, such as avian flu, are a concern, as is the growing problem of antibiotic-resistant diseases. The World Economic Forum recently identified antibiotic-resistant disease as one of the world’s most significant emerging international issues.

Craig Karpilow, MD, of Workplace Medical Corporation, said that employers with international workers should have formal, comprehensive programs aimed at ensuring their workers’ health and safety. Ensuring good health in international settings includes addressing safety issues in countries prone to violence, he said.

An important first step for all employers is to carefully read the fine print of their insurance policies to check for exclusions or limitations related to international travel. A comprehensive international travel-health program should include briefings for employees on important immunizations and the availability of prophylactic medications.

Dr. Karpilow also noted that a plan should be in place to help employees who have pre-existing health conditions that could complicate their travel. Some employees might have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiovascular issues, or other health conditions that make it important to take health precautions during long flights. All traveling employees should be warned of the dangers of disease transmission on international flights. “The transmission of infectious disease on planes is omnipresent,” he said.

Dr. Karpilow warned about inconsistent quality in medicines manufactured in other countries. “Medicines are definitely not the same all over the world,” he said. “Some locally manufactured medicines don’t do what you wan them to do.”

He also suggested the employers set up educational programs that brief employees before travel about the countries they will be visiting, with information ranging from dangers of food and local habitat to cultural practices that could have a significant health impact.

Elaine Jong, MD, of the University of Washington School of Medicine noted that employers should have strategies in place aimed at encouraging good health-practices before, during, and after travel. This includes strong programs that encourage vaccinations.

“Situations arise when you have a week or less to prepare an employee for international travel,” she said, noting that organizations should be “up to date on immunization standards.” She said employers have the challenge of overcoming employees’ aversion to injections and fear of needles, but that a strong vaccination policy is a good idea.

Key emerging travel-vaccine issues for employers, according to Dr. Jong, are an increasingly aging workforce, which might have pre-existing conditions that impact vaccines; and the unique needs of immunocompromised travelers who face averse drug reactions related to vaccines and may have more significant responses to travel-associated infections.

More than 1,000 occupational health professionals are attending ACOEM’s annual American Occupational Health Conference this week. The conference includes a wide variety of educational sessions, networking, and discussion forums aimed at fostering a healthier workforce.

For more information, visit www.acoem.org/aohc.

About ACOEM — The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) represents nearly 4,500 physicians specializing in occupational and environmental medicine. Founded in 1916, ACOEM is the nation’s largest medical society dedicated to promoting the health of workers through preventive medicine, clinical care, disability management, research, and education. For more information, visit www.acoem.org.

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