Health Advice for Travelers Coming to China

Whether traveling for business or pleasure, you can be exposed to a variety of health risks in many different environments.

A great number of these risks can be minimized by suitable precautions before and during travel. Here are some important tips for not only your visitors but also if you are living in China or plan to travel yourself this summer.

Before you leave home

Healthier people make healthier travelers. Staying healthy strategies include eating a balanced diet, aerobic exercise at least twice a week for 30 minutes at a time, not using tobacco products and keeping alcohol use below 10 units a week for women and 15 units a week for men.

Before your trip, make an appointment with your doctor to get accurate up-to-date travel advice including:

• Health considerations and medicine specific to your destination
• Medical considerations for your specific health needs or update your preventive care needs
• Whether or not your immunization status meets the recommendations for that particular region. A useful free site is the United States’ Center for Disease control travel section at www.cdc.gov.

If you have chronic or reoccurring health problems, ask for a 1-2 page health summary and your doctor’s email address in case you encounter problems during your trip.

A travel medical kit could also be very useful. This includes packing a sufficient supply of over-the-counter (OTC) medications and products specific to your destination. Examples of what to take are pain and fever medications, decongestants, anti-diarrhea medications, condoms, tampons, and birth control pills. All prescription medications should be carried in their originally labeled bottles, preferably with the reasons you are taking them.

Medical insurance is crucial when traveling, particularly if you have medical considerations or health concerns. Before you leave, make sure your insurance covers emergency evacuations, hospital admissions, and basic outpatient visits.  Be sure to take the relevant insurance documentation with you.

When seeking medical advice about traveling you should allow sufficient time before your trip departure to ensure that a vaccine offers adequate protection. A medical consultation at least 6 weeks before departure is recommended, but if this is not possible, alternative vaccination schedules that offer an accelerated series of shots may be appropriate.

Each country is different and vaccine recommendations can change over time. For information relevant to your destination you can go to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at www.cdc.gov/travel. If you need more specific immunization advice, please consult your primary care doctor or a travel clinic.

While you are here

Avoid smoking, excessive alcohol use, and activities where you could get seriously hurt. When eating out, avoid raw or undercooked foods, especially fish and meat. Also, please remember to use condoms unless you are with a steady partner.

If you will be living overseas for more than a year, identify one healthcare facility and preferably one doctor as your primary care provider (PCP). Going to the same doctor will give you and your family continuity of care which has been shown to decrease medical errors and negative health outcomes. It is also important to visit your chosen doctor to get any vaccinations that you missed or did not complete before leaving your home country.  Your PCP can also tell you about endemic or emergent risks in your locality, how best to access emergency care, and what type of health checks local household help hires should get.

Keep an emergency list on your phone and on your refrigerator ready to use of the following

• Your Primary Care Doctor’s office
• Your preferred hospital/emergency care location
• Neighbors or colleagues to contact in case of emergency
• Any significant food or medication allergy
• Local emergency services (Chinese language only):
  • Ambulance (all of China): 120
  • Ambulance (Beijing only): 999
  • Fire: 119
  • Police: 110

Consider having these written in both Chinese and the language(s) you speak at home.

Common Medical Problems You Might Experience in China 

Trauma

Traumas of varying kinds are the most common travel-related health problem worldwide. This might be as dramatic as a road traffic accident or as mundane as twisting your ankle on uneven pavement.

Use common sense to avoid such incidents. Most modern taxis in China have passenger seatbelts that you should use. Short of that, the back middle seat in a car is statistically safest place in a car. Biking is a great way to see a city and get some exercise, but should be done with a bike helmet ALL the time.

Infectious diseases

Food-borne infectious diarrhea is another common health complaint of travelers in China. Luckily, most infections improve within a week with a few additional weeks of milder symptoms as you colon recovers. Over-the-counter medications, anti-diarrhea medications and rehydration salts will take care of most cases of traveler’s diarrhea. Antibiotics may also be needed depending on the nature of the diarrhea you get.Always see a doctor if symptoms persist.

Pollution

Some susceptible travelers to China develop prolonged respiratory symptoms due to the poor air quality. Cotton face masks can be used to keep out large particulates. Washing your nose out with diluted salt water twice a day may help decrease symptoms of pollution from large particulates.  Some evidence supports the use specialized masks to keep out smaller pm 2.5 particles.

Stress

Many expatriates find themselves drinking more alcohol or smoking more cigarettes while they are in China. Some blame this on the local business culture and others cite work-related stress. These habits may aggravate already strained personal relationships and create health problems for you and your family. Consider seeing a doctor or counselor to help you with these problems sooner rather than later.

In the Middle Kingdom, an ounce of prevention is worth its weight in jade. China is a wondrous country that promises visitors interesting stories and experiences that may be treasured for a lifetime. Most travelers will never have health problems while they are here. If you do get in trouble, however, the care you have taken before and during your travels will help you get back to your enjoying your stay sooner and back home safely.