Travelers Turning to Internet for Pre-Trip Medical Planning
Travelers to remote destinations are increasingly turning to the Internet for information to help them prepare for potential medical emergencies during their trips, the New York Times reports. Experts on health Web sites say travelers' growing use of the Web for pre-trip medical preparation has coincided with a significant improvement in the guidance available online. Dr. David Freedman, an executive board member of the International Society of Travel Medicine, said, "The quality, organization and volume of useful information on the major sites is dramatically improved in the past two years, and is continuing to improve." Travel medicine specialists point out that as more travelers turn to self-designed vacations with "adventurous itineraries in exotic locations," a "few minutes" of online preparation can often preserve "peace of mind." The Times profiles several online health resources for travelers, including the CDC's Web site, which is praised as "a trove of physiological mishaps-in-waiting." The site features "cleanly designed" information about specific destinations, disease outbreaks and other useful topics, including pediatric travel precautions. Other sites highlighted by the Times include Travel Health Online, the International Society of Travel Medicine and International SOS (Tedeschi, New York Times, 9/23).
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