Does the DOSPERT scale predict risk-taking behaviour during travel? A study using smartphones

Abstract

In our study, individual scores on risk-taking in the health and safety subdomain of the DOSPERT questionnaire seem to be predictive of health behaviours both during travel and at home. By pairing new methods of data collection with questionnaires such as DOSPERT that identify key traveller characteristics to intervene on, travel medicine doctors will be able to provide more specialised health advice, ensuring that all travellers receive well-rounded advice about the full range of health challenges they will face during travel.

Measuring mobility, disease connectivity and individual risk: a review of using mobile phone data and mHealth for travel medicine

“…71,85,86 More research is needed to establish the most promising uses of these data for travel health, and the combination of information extracted from traditional and innovative data sources are beginning to be produced and yield a proof of concept and road map for future studies on individual's risk assessment in travel medicine. [43][44][45] For instance, phylogeographic analyses can relate travel and epidemiological dynamics by integrating mobile data with expanding genetic data.…”

“…Finally, prior research suggests that participants may be more likely to share sensitive or socially unacceptable information on an online form, improving understanding of rates of risky behaviours during travel. 72 Farnham et al [42][43][44][45] used mHealth technology to identify the range of health outcomes during travel using real-time monitoring and daily reporting of health behaviours and outcomes and identify traveller subgroups who may benefit from more targeted advice before and during travel. In this mHealth-based study, non-infectious disease-related health issues were commonly found in travellers, despite being largely unaddressed in traditional travel medicine research; in addition, clear patterns of traveller behaviour and health outcomes emerged, suggesting that subgroups of travellers exist for whom specialized medical advice is needed.…”

“…air pollution, and offer more reliable and more frequently updated 'apps' that consolidate travel health information from multiple sources in travel medicine research and practice. 36,37,[40][41][42][43][44][45] To facilitate a better understanding of the use of mobile phone data in travel health, here we review the research work aimed at measuring human movements, disease connectivity and health risk in travellers using mobile geopositioning data and mHealth technology. We searched PubMed for all related studies, published up until 5 March 2019 and in English, by the queries '(mobile phone OR cell phone OR smartphones OR call detail records OR mHealth OR eHealth) AND (travel OR mobility OR movement OR connectivity) AND (disease OR health OR risk OR illness)' in the title and abstract fields.…”

Predicting morbidity in older travellers during a short-term stay in the tropics: the ELDEST study

“…This could imply that these methods of communication could be used for future (intervention) strategies as mobile technology will impact travel medicine more and more. 43–45 …”

The COVID-19 pandemic offers a key moment to reflect on travel medicine practice

“…Asking about behavioural patterns at home can help to identify people who are at special risk, as the DOSPERT questionnaire indicated in the Thailand study. 8 …”