TITLE:
Are HIV Infected People Well Prepared to Travel? Polish Experience
AUTHORS:
Bartlomiej Mateusz Zalewski, Tomasz Mikula, Monika Romul, Monika Jablonska, Iwona Cielniak, Alicja Wiercinska-Drapalo
KEYWORDS:
HIV/AIDS, Travel, Consultation, Prophylaxis
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of AIDS,
Vol.4 No.2,
June
10,
2014
ABSTRACT: Introduction: This study aimed to identify
knowledge about preparation for travel among Polish HIV infected patients.
Materials and Methods: Our prospective questionnaire-based study assessed
whether the abovementioned issues had an influence on travel plan decisions and
whether HIV infected Polish people had any problems before and during travel.
Results: All our 102 patients completed questionnaires. The majority sought
pre-travel health advice. The mean duration of confirmed HIV infection was
longer in travelers than in non-travelers (p = 0.02). More than half of
travelers consulted with a physician prior to their journey but the most
popular source of in-formation about the health risks of travelling was the
internet while a doctor’s consultation was an alternative. Pre-travel
prophylaxis was performed in less than 30% of patients. One of the most popular
reasons for not travelling abroad was inadequate funds. Discussion: The
situation of people with HIV in Poland is similar to that in other European
countries. None of our patients had to give up their trip because of
administrative barriers. HIV infected persons with a longer duration of
infection were more willing to travel. One of the most popular reasons for not
travelling abroad was inadequate funds. Among our patients, those afraid of
potential health risks and inadequate funds are in the same proportion as in
other countries. Conclusions: In our opinion, physicians should talk with HIV
positive patients about their travel plans during routine visits. Polish HIV
infected patients generally do not restrict their travel plans due to their HIV
infection. The main sources of information for Polish HIV infected patients
about possible problems during travel should be their doctor and additionally
other sources of information like the internet.