207. Travel Related Risk Behaviors and Antibiotic Use among Older Travelers

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Older travelers (≥ 60 years) are a unique risk population for travel related infections and adverse events from antibiotics. We evaluated the differences in travel characteristics, exposures, illnesses and antibiotic use among older travelers and those between 18 – 59 y using a prospective, observational cohort of US Department of Defense (DoD) beneficiaries traveling outside the US for ≤ 6.5 months (TravMil). METHODS: Adult DoD beneficiaries were enrolled pre-travel. Itineraries limited to Western/Northern Europe, Canada, or New Zealand and active duty personnel on military travel were excluded. Demographics, itineraries and prescriptions were abstracted. A post-travel survey collected information on exposures and illnesses (travelers' diarrhea (TD), influenza-like illness (ILI) or febrile illness). Categorical variables were analyzed using chi-square or Fishers exact test and the Mann-U Whitney test was used for continuous variables. RESULTS: Of the 1468 travelers, 755 were ≥ 60y and 719 were < 60y. Asia (35%) and South/Central America (28%) were the most common travel regions. Older travelers were more likely to be Caucasian (80% vs. 67%), male (52% vs. 39%) and travel for tourism (84% vs. 51%) (p< 0.05). Younger travelers were more likely engage in risk behaviors (e.g. consume poorly cooked meat or seafood (16% vs 9%) or street vendor food (26% vs 8.6%), wade in fresh water (24% vs. 18%), and non-compliance with malaria prophylaxis (22% vs 12%) (p< 0.05). Older travelers had a lower incidence of TD (18% vs 24%), and a higher proportion of cases with loose stool or mild TD that did not interfere with daily activities (63% vs. 51%) (p< 0.05). Inappropriate antibiotic use for loose stool or mild TD were similar among the two age groups (67% vs 59%). Non-significant trends of lower incidence and mild infections were observed for ILI and febrile illness in older travelers. CONCLUSION: Older travelers were less likely to engage in risk behaviors, had a lower TD incidence and reported mild ...