Nearly half of British people questioned by Opinion Health, the online health-focused research company, believe they are well informed about the vaccinations needed to safely travel abroad, with only two in ten people saying they don’t feel informed. However, when probed on what vaccinations are needed in certain destinations, the results show a different story with many people lacking critical knowledge on the vaccinations needed to protect their health whilst travelling.
The research carried out on behalf of Number One Health, the Harley Street travel and personal health specialist, shows that only 46% of British people thought a vaccination against Rabies was necessary in Asia, even though Rabies is a major killer in India.
Furthermore, just half of people questioned said a tuberculosis (TB) vaccination was needed when travelling to countries in Africa despite the continent suffering the highest number of deaths from TB compared to any other World region with estimates from the World Health Organisation (WHO) standing at 587,000 for 2004. The TB vaccine may not be as effective as it should be, but such a lack of awareness regarding the countries where TB is a major threat is worrying considering TB is one of the World’s deadliest diseases with 1.5 million people dying each year and another eight million people becoming newly infected.
Charlie Easmon, Medical Director at Number One Health, said: “This research shows a certain misguided confidence amongst consumers regarding critical vaccinations needed to travel to certain parts of the world. That is why we are launching a travel vaccination guide that details what vaccinations are needed where, and offering it free of charge.”
When asked whether a vaccination for yellow fever was needed to travel to Asia half of those questioned said it was. In fact, there is no yellow fever risk in Asia. Such inaccuracies highlight the huge gap between what British people perceive to know about vaccination and the actual facts on what vaccinations are needed in different parts of the World.
Charlie Easmon concluded: “With the wealth of information that is available to the consumer today, there is a real risk that people will think they are well-informed and knowledgeable in areas where only a healthcare professional should be consulted. I urge all people who are planning on travelling to seek professional advice about what vacations are needed for the countries they are visiting in order to avoid any threat to their health.”
To receive a free PDF of the travel vaccination guide via email, please send your request to: JaneN@numberonehealth.co.uk
