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  • Title: Awareness, practices, and health problems of backpackers traveling during flooding in Thailand during 2011.
    Author: Piyaphanee W, Olanwijitwong J, Kusolsuk T, Silachamroon U.
    Journal: Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health; 2012 Sep; 43(5):1193-200. PubMed ID: 23431826.
    Abstract:
    During late 2011, Thailand experienced its worst flooding in 50 years with over 4.6 million people directly affected. During the flooding we conducted a cross sectional survey of backpackers in the Khao San Road area of Bangkok to determine awareness, practices, and their incidence of health problems during the flooding. A total of 422 subjects completed questionnaires which were analyzed. Seventy percent were European and 12.3% were North American. The overall median age was 27 years and the median stay in Thailand was 22 days. Most of the backpackers were aware of the flooding in Thailand; some had sought travel health information prior to their trip from various sources including the internet, their family physician or a travel clinic. However, even in travel clinics specific health advice related to flooding, such as leptospirosis risk/prevention, was rarely given to travelers. Fifteen point four percent of subjects (65/422) had come into contact with floodwater; 30.8% of those (20/65) washed their feet/legs afterward. Our findings indicate most backpackers were inadequately aware of potential health hazards, such as leptospirosis, during the floods.
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