Health Problems while Working as a Volunteer or Humanitarian Aid Worker in Post-Earthquake Nepal

Introduction: Volunteers and humanitarian aid workers working in disaster struck areas of the world are a vulnerable group of travelers. Nepal saw an influx of these humanitarian aid workers following earthquakes in April and May 2015.  Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study condu...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Durga Bhandari, Prativa Pandey
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nepal Medical Association 2018-06-01
Series:Journal of Nepal Medical Association
Online Access:https://www.jnma.com.np/jnma/index.php/jnma/article/view/3630
id doaj-86e52b18803143e9b7e186cec400d9c7
record_format Article
spelling doaj-86e52b18803143e9b7e186cec400d9c72020-11-25T00:53:18ZengNepal Medical AssociationJournal of Nepal Medical Association0028-27151815-672X2018-06-015621110.31729/jnma.3630Health Problems while Working as a Volunteer or Humanitarian Aid Worker in Post-Earthquake NepalDurga Bhandari0Prativa Pandey1CIWEC Hospital and Travel Medicine Center, Kapurdhara Marg, Kathmandu, Nepal.Department of Internal Medicine, Kantipur Dental College Teaching Hospital and Research Center, Kathmandu, Nepal Introduction: Volunteers and humanitarian aid workers working in disaster struck areas of the world are a vulnerable group of travelers. Nepal saw an influx of these humanitarian aid workers following earthquakes in April and May 2015.  Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at CIWEC Hospital located in Kathmandu. A questionnaire was given to all volunteers and aid workers who arrived at the hospital for evaluation of health related problems and agreed to be part of the study. Results: Ninety-five volunteers were enrolled in the study. Among these, 65 (68%) were female and 30 (32%) were male. The immunizations received before travel were Hepatitis A 82 (86%), Hepatitis B 82 (86%), Typhoid 70 (73%), Rabies 38 (40%), Japanese Encephalitis 34 (36%), Influenza within last one year 23 (24%), measles 48 (51%), Cholera 34 (36%),Tetanus within 10 years 71 (75%) and Varicella 38 (40%). Forty-four (45%) of travelers carried medication for treatment of Traveler’s Diarrhea (TD) which included Ciprofloxacin, Azithromycin, Loperamide and others like Metronidazole and Charcoal. The common illnesses encountered were gastrointestinal, skin problems , injury and musculoskeletal problems, respiratory problems, genitourinary problems, cardiovascular, psychological problems, syncope, and miscellaneous. Conclusions: Traveler’s Diarrhea and dermatological problems were the most common health related problems. Volunteers were not properly prepared for self-treatment and pre-travel preparation was sub-optimal. Important pre travel health advice will decrease the incidence of health problems in this group. https://www.jnma.com.np/jnma/index.php/jnma/article/view/3630
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Durga Bhandari
Prativa Pandey
spellingShingle Durga Bhandari
Prativa Pandey
Health Problems while Working as a Volunteer or Humanitarian Aid Worker in Post-Earthquake Nepal
Journal of Nepal Medical Association
author_facet Durga Bhandari
Prativa Pandey
author_sort Durga Bhandari
title Health Problems while Working as a Volunteer or Humanitarian Aid Worker in Post-Earthquake Nepal
title_short Health Problems while Working as a Volunteer or Humanitarian Aid Worker in Post-Earthquake Nepal
title_full Health Problems while Working as a Volunteer or Humanitarian Aid Worker in Post-Earthquake Nepal
title_fullStr Health Problems while Working as a Volunteer or Humanitarian Aid Worker in Post-Earthquake Nepal
title_full_unstemmed Health Problems while Working as a Volunteer or Humanitarian Aid Worker in Post-Earthquake Nepal
title_sort health problems while working as a volunteer or humanitarian aid worker in post-earthquake nepal
publisher Nepal Medical Association
series Journal of Nepal Medical Association
issn 0028-2715
1815-672X
publishDate 2018-06-01
description Introduction: Volunteers and humanitarian aid workers working in disaster struck areas of the world are a vulnerable group of travelers. Nepal saw an influx of these humanitarian aid workers following earthquakes in April and May 2015.  Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at CIWEC Hospital located in Kathmandu. A questionnaire was given to all volunteers and aid workers who arrived at the hospital for evaluation of health related problems and agreed to be part of the study. Results: Ninety-five volunteers were enrolled in the study. Among these, 65 (68%) were female and 30 (32%) were male. The immunizations received before travel were Hepatitis A 82 (86%), Hepatitis B 82 (86%), Typhoid 70 (73%), Rabies 38 (40%), Japanese Encephalitis 34 (36%), Influenza within last one year 23 (24%), measles 48 (51%), Cholera 34 (36%),Tetanus within 10 years 71 (75%) and Varicella 38 (40%). Forty-four (45%) of travelers carried medication for treatment of Traveler’s Diarrhea (TD) which included Ciprofloxacin, Azithromycin, Loperamide and others like Metronidazole and Charcoal. The common illnesses encountered were gastrointestinal, skin problems , injury and musculoskeletal problems, respiratory problems, genitourinary problems, cardiovascular, psychological problems, syncope, and miscellaneous. Conclusions: Traveler’s Diarrhea and dermatological problems were the most common health related problems. Volunteers were not properly prepared for self-treatment and pre-travel preparation was sub-optimal. Important pre travel health advice will decrease the incidence of health problems in this group.
url https://www.jnma.com.np/jnma/index.php/jnma/article/view/3630
work_keys_str_mv AT durgabhandari healthproblemswhileworkingasavolunteerorhumanitarianaidworkerinpostearthquakenepal
AT prativapandey healthproblemswhileworkingasavolunteerorhumanitarianaidworkerinpostearthquakenepal
_version_ 1725238225556996096