General Remarks: For Promoting Travel Medicine in Japan
10.2185/jjrm.54.1
- Author:
Kumato MIFUNE
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH:
Travel;
Medicine;
seconds;
Japan;
Health
- From:Journal of the Japanese Association of Rural Medicine
2005;54(1):1-10
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
-
Abstract:
For a long while after World War II, travel medicine had sunk ro its lowest ebb in Japan. In the late 1980s, with nation's rapid economic development, national income rose rapidly the number of overseas travelers increased explosively, and many industries began to move their production bases to Asian countries. It was in this socioeconomic context that travel medicine came to be recognized again. In so-called developing, infectious diseases which are rarely seen in Japan and those characteristic in the tropical regions are still prevalent. In addition, new types of infectious disease entities occasionally spread very rapidly by travelers and give a shock to the world. Hence the importance of travel medicine increases. However, Japanese people take it for granted that their country or company protects their health. This is probably because of the universal national health insurance system and vaccination programs for preventing infectious diseases. Unlike Europeans and Americans, they hardly realize that one must protect one's health by oneself. In order to promote travel medicine from now on, a nationwide educational campaign which gives information to people on health risks in traveling abroad and that raises their awareness that one's health must be protected by oneself is necessary. The campaign requiers the collaboration of related medical societies, the travel industry and the administration.
