Abstract
BackgroundAwareness of pre-travel consultation (PTC) and prevention methods of overseas travel-related diseases is low in Japan, and understanding of PTC among Japanese travelers and medical professionals remains low. A multicenter registry was established to examine PTC in Japan. This study assessed the PTC implementation rate and examined indicators to be used as criteria for data-quality evaluation.MethodsClients who presented for PTC at 17 facilities registered between February 1, 2018, and May 31, 2020, were included. Medical information was retrospectively extracted via a web-based system. Correlations between vaccination risk categories and advice/intervention proportions by facility were evaluated by Spearman’s ordered phase relations (α=0.05).ResultsOf 9,700 eligible clients (median age, 32 years; 880 (9.1%) aged <16 years and 549 (5.7%) aged ≥65 years), the most common travel duration was ≥181 days (35.8%), higher among younger clients. The most common reason for travel was business (40.5%); the US (1,118 [11.5%]) and Asia (4,008 [41.3%]) were the most common destination and continent, respectively. Vaccine number (median 3 per person) increased after PTC except for tetanus toxoid. Only 60.8% of clients recommended for malaria prophylaxis received anti-malarial agents. The gross national income, incidence of human rabies, typhoid fever, and falciparum malaria, and dengue risk category were associated with the percentage of hepatitis-A vaccine, explaining rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, typhoid-fever vaccination, malaria-prophylaxis prescription, and mosquito repellants, respectively.ConclusionsAlthough the characteristics of travelers differ, the quality of PTC should improve to address, for example, the lower rate of acceptance of malaria prophylaxis in Japan.