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Family Health Overseas
By Kate Goggin
KNOCK before entering. We are battling the third week of flu-related
illness at our house. Now the three-year-old is down and out. Will it
ever end? Would a flu shot have helped?
This year I was very close to getting a flu shot but held off at the last
moment after hearing of someone who suffered adverse side effects. While
I was hesitating though, my colleague got his shot and has been sniffle-free
all season. As usual, these family health decisions all boil down to individual
judgment and someone in the family had better be keeping up-to-date on
the latest health news.
The best sources I've found for international health information are the
Centres for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The CDC is the US government's official outlet for medical statistical
data and public information. Their very thorough web site answers questions
about everything from recommended vaccinations for travellers to the latest
on mad cow disease and news about those mysterious cruise ship viruses.
The WHO is a United Nations organisation dedicated to "the attainment
by all peoples of the highest possible level of health." Their web
site provides fascinating data about world health topics as well as specifics
about the picture of health in Bulgaria.
If you have children, you might want to know how many cases of measles
were reported in Bulgaria in the past few years. How about pertussis (also
known as whooping cough) or polio? In 2001, there were eight cases of
measles, 81 cases of pertussis and three cases of polio reported. The
site also displays the Bulgarian schedule for childhood immunisations
if you want to compare to your home country's schedule.
Both web sites list current outbreaks around the world and preventive
health safety tips. I was surprised to learn about the current outbreak
of diphtheria in all of the Newly Independent States of the former Soviet
Union and relieved to know there have been no reported cases of diphtheria
in Bulgaria.
Both sites provide helpful information for travellers where you type in
your destination country and it spits back all you need to know about
booster shots and updates. For the record, the recommended vaccinations
before visiting Bulgaria are:
- Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG).
- Hepatitis B, if you might be exposed to blood (for example, health-care
workers), have sexual contact with the local population, stay longer than
six months, or be exposed through medical treatment.
- Rabies, if you might be exposed to wild or domestic animals through
your work or recreation.
- Typhoid, particularly if you are visiting developing countries in this
region.
- As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, measles, and a one-time
dose of polio vaccine for adults. Hepatitis B vaccine is now recommended
for all infants and for 11 to 12-year-olds who did not receive the series
as infants.
And if you are planning a cruise ship trip, the CDC site maintains a database
of recent sanitation inspections of international cruise ships.
Also, you may want to check your health insurance coverage. You'll need
your paperwork in order because it is now mandatory for foreign citizens
to show proof of health insurance to border authorities in order to enter
Bulgaria.
Another item you may want to check is the medical evacuation clause of
your health insurance policy. Medical evacuation insurance is not included
in standard policies and usually requires additional cost.
Besides the usual advice "don't drink the water," maintaining
your family's health while abroad can be challenging. When in doubt, contact
your healthcare provider. My list of resources is always meant to augment
consultation with experts, not substitute for advice.
Now after reading about a flu epidemic in Africa and experiencing it
here in Sofia, I'm a little more likely to get my shot next year. In my
opinion, the adverse side effects can't equal the difficulties of the
last three weeks!
Additional Resources:
http://www.cdc.gov
Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia - includes the latest information
on diseases, traveller immunisations and cruise ship hygiene reports.
http://www.who.int
The World Health Organisation in Geneva.
Kate Goggin is a Foreign Service spouse (FAS) and freelance writer. Currently living in Northern Virginia, she is available for short and long term writing assignments. Visit her website at http://www.kategoggin.com.