ISTM Psychological Health of Travelers Interest Group
We are delighted to announce the establishment of a new ISTM group dedicated to the mental health of travelers. This topic is of growing interest in the travel medicine community. Although this area is of great importance to travelers, for a variety of reasons it often receives far less attention than it deserves. We are very pleased that ISTM is willing to help redress this balance through the activities of this new Interest Group.
Although discussions around this topic have been present since the founding of ISTM, it was the CISTM in Budapest that provided the impetus to create this Interest Group. After the final session on mental health, many people expressed their enthusiasm in continuing to explore the issues and to network with colleagues on this topic.
We invite ISTM members who have an interest in the psychological health of travelers to join this group and help identify our initial priorities and activities. We welcome physicians, nurses and allied health professionals as well as those with qualifications or special experience in psychological health. There is no additional cost to join, and it's easy. Click here to join or for more information.
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Charter:
- Raise awareness among those who care for travelers of the psychological issues connected with travel and the importance of considering psychological health at all stages in the patient journey.
- Mainstream this key aspect of health into standard travel medicine practice.
- Develop evidence based good practice in the psychological health care of travelers, before, during, and after travel and help develop tools for identifying those most at risk
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Psychological Health of Travelers Interest Group Future Activities
As the group is just being chartered, we hope to explore and identify the most valued activities with those interested in the psychological health of travelers. We have agreed to address the mental health issues of all types of travelers or migrants, though issues involving longer-term travelers may well form an important area for discussion.
We hope to quickly begin to identify topics for future ISTM meetings, and provide the members of this group with opportunities to share their concerns and knowledge through networking opportunities.
Please send in your suggestions to Ted Lankester on future activities and how we can make this group as useful and dynamic as possible. Initially we will be sending out monthly Enewsletters to those who have registered an interest.
ISTM Members: Click here to go to manage my membership and join this group.