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TY  - THES
AU  - Kölsch, Yvonne
TI  - Das Berufskrankheitsgeschehen nach BK-3104 von Freiwilligen und jungen Erwachsenen in internationalen Sozialprojekten
VL  - 13
PB  - RWTH Aachen University
VL  - Dissertation
CY  - Düren
M1  - RWTH-2024-05407
SN  - 978-3-8440-9535-7
T2  - Aachener Schriftenreihe zur Präventivmedizin
SP  - 59 Seiten : Illustrationen
PY  - 2024
N1  - Dissertation, RWTH Aachen University, 2024
AB  - The trend of volunteering overseas has increased tremendously over the last decade. Volunteers often go to regions where they are exposed to tropical infections like malaria, dengue, typhoid fever and schistosomiasis. Health assessments have shown a high occurrence of tropical infections among young volunteers. When acquired during occupation such tropical infections are notifiable in Germany, as they are covered by a separate branch of the social insurance system. This retrospective study included 457 cases with a diagnosis for a tropical infection or typhoid fever from January 2016 to December 2019. Data sets were anonymised and then analysed with descriptive statistics first. Cases of volunteers send abroad by “Weltwärts” were compared to cases of aid workers send to non-industrial countries. For group comparisons non-parametric tests were used. A high occurrence of tropical infections as occupational diseases has been shown for volunteers compared to other (mostly older) aid workers being sent to tropical regions. The risk of acquiring a tropical infection was significantly higher in Africa compared to other tropical regions. Significantly more volunteers were diagnosed with malaria during the period under review. Medical check-ups after travel were rare among volunteers. Data imply a disproportionate risk for malaria in Africa with a higher risk of acquiring falciparum malaria in Sub-Saharan regions. Region-specific risks need to be addressed in training seminars in order to raise awareness among young volunteers before travel. Medical examinations after travel should be mandatory and specific to a particular region.
LB  - PUB:(DE-HGF)11 ; PUB:(DE-HGF)3
UR  - https://publications.rwth-aachen.de/record/986821
ER  -