Illness and Injury Abroad

Before going abroad, you should become familiar with what steps to take and who to contact in case of a medical emergency while you are traveling. The following information will assist you.

See the information in Your Survival Guide to Safe and Healthy Travel.

• Plan Ahead for Illnesses or Injuries During Your Trip
  Travel Health and Medical Evacuation Insurance and planning for in-flight health issues.
• Know What To Do if You Become Sick or Injured on Your Trip
  Includes what to do if you are sick on an airplane or cruise ship, and what to do in a disaster.
• Pay Attention to Your Health During Your Trip
  Health tips to stay healthy during your travels.
• Pay Attention to Your Health When You Come Home
  Monitor your health after your trip, especially if you visited a malaria risk area.

There are some in-depth sections of CDC Health Information for International Travel 2010 (“The Yellow Book”) that may help to prepare for illness or injury abroad.

• Planning for Healthy Travel
  The basics, including how to understand this site's travel notices
• Travel Health Kits
  Putting together a kit to take care of minor health problems and treat pre-existing medical conditions while abroad
• Obtaining Health Care Abroad for the Ill Traveler
  Health insurance, what to do if serious illness or injury occurs, blood transfusions, health-seeking travel
• Injuries and Safety
• Scuba Diving
  Helpful information about traveling to scuba dive and diving-related disorders
• Death During Travel
• The Post-Travel Consultation
  Common health problems of travelers who are ill on their return home, illnesses that may appear later, screening

Are you looking for recommendations for traveling with children to specific countries? See the Destinations page.