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Table 5 Risk factors of contracting illness while traveling / on arrival among 460 travelers. Values are given for proportions of ill travelers with a given risk factor, odds ratios with 95 % confidence intervals, and p-values in a bivariable analysis

From: Travelers’ health problems and behavior: prospective study with post-travel follow-up

 

Contracted illness a %

Odds ratio (95 % confidence interval)

p-value

Total (missing data = 1)

79

   

Sex (missing data = 0)

    

 Male

75

1.0

  

 Female

81

1.5

(1.0–2.4)

0.079*

Age group (missing data = 0)

   

<0.001*

 0–17

66

1.0

  

 18–35

89

4.3

(1.9–9.9)

0.001

 36–55

73

1.4

(0.6–3.2)

0.380

 56–

71

1.3

(0.6–2.8)

0.582

Geographic region (missing data = 0)

   

<0.001*

 Europe, Northern America

20

1.0

  

 Latin America and the Caribbean

66

7.7

(1.9–32.0)

0.005

 Northern Africa, Western Asia

67

8.0

(1.4–45.8)

0.019

 Southern Africa

62

6.4

(1.4–28.4)

0.015

 Western Africa, Middle Africa

79

14.9

(3.8–58.5)

<0.001

 Eastern Africa

84

21.6

(5.4–85.8)

<0.001

 Eastern Asia, Central Asia

56

5.0

(0.8–31.0)

0.084

 South-Eastern Asia

87

26.6

(6.7–106.1)

<0.001

 Southern Asia

91

41.3

(9.1–188.5)

<0.001

Duration of travel, days (missing data = 0)

   

<0.001*

 1–7

52

1.0

  

 8–29

77

3.0

(1.4–6.7)

0.006

 30–160

94

14.4

(4.7–44.1)

<0.001

Purpose of travel (missing data = 1)

   

0.813

 Vacation

78

1.0

  

 Business

82

1.2

(0.5–2.9)

0.636

 Other/multiple b

82

1.2

(0.5–2.9)

0.636

Accommodation (missing data = 11) c

   

<0.001*

 Hotel

68

1.0

  

 Home of a local

87

3.2

(1.5–6.8)

0.003

 Guest house

87

3.1

(1.8–5.2)

<0.001

Location (missing data = 22) c

    

 City

71

1.0

  

 Countryside/jungle

83

2.0

(1.3–3.3)

0.003*

Used other than bottled water (missing data = 3) c

76

0.8

(0.3–2.2)

0.710

Ate uncooked meat/fish (missing data = 4)

66

0.4

(0.2–0.8)

0.006*

Ate salads (missing data = 26)

78

0.7

(0.4–1.2)

0.192

Diet (missing data = 159)

    

 Omnivore

82

1.0

  

 Vegetarian

89

1.8

(0.5–6.2)

0.353

Used milk as part of diet (missing data = 161)

83

1.0

(0.1–8.5)

1.000e

Site of meals (missing data = 12) c

    

 Restaurant more than 50 % of meals

79

1.0

  

 Own household and sometimes elsewhere

79

1.0

(0.5–1.8)

0.996

Alcohol consumption (missing data = 67) d

    

 0–2 units per day

81

1.0

  

 3– units per day

74

0.7

(0.4–1.1)

0.102

Did not always use utensils (missing data = 23)

85

1.7

(1.0–3.0)

0.058*

Did not wash hands always/often (missing data = 13)

72

0.6

(0.3–1.2)

0.138

No WC as a toilet (missing data = 7)

85

1.6

(0.8–3.2)

0.159

Had fresh water contact (missing data = 160)

84

1.7

(0.9–3.1)

0.109

Walking barefoot often/sometimes (missing data = 7)

79

1.0

(0.6–1.7)

0.990

Unprotected sex with local (missing data = 27)

100

1.0

(1.0–1.0)

0.213e

Other close contact with local (missing data = 26)

88

2.2

(1.1–4.4)

0.030*

Had insect stings (missing data = 22)

84

3.1

(1.9–5.1)

<0.001*

  1. a Symptoms started abroad or on return
  2. b 14 (3 %) reported two or more purposes of travel
  3. c Categorized according to lowest standard
  4. d Missing data for children under 16 years was replaced with 0 alcohol servings per day
  5. e Fisher's exact test used
  6. * Factors with P-value <0.1 chosen to multivariable model