Sustainable travel medicine: a “Planetary Health” approach to international travel (the PlanetHealth project)

Dr. Andrea Farnham (Department of Public and Global Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute),
Dr. Walter Bierbauer (Psychologisches Institut, Angewandte Sozial- und Gesundheitspsychologie)

The PlanetHealth project aims to address the environmental impact of travel through an interdisciplinary "Planetary Health" approach within the field of travel medicine, combining the expertise of behavioral psychology, epidemiology, and clinicians. Sustainable travel practices, such as the judicious use of antibiotics, proper disposal of medications, being fully vaccinated, using eco-friendly mosquito prevention and sun protection methods, and staying in environmentally conscious accommodations, are crucial in mitigating the impact of travel on environmental pollution and the spread of antibiotic resistance. The PlanetHealth project investigates behavioral patterns, modifiable beliefs, and self-regulatory factors that influence travelers' decisions around travel and aims to promote more sustainable behaviors, as well as identify why certain unsustainable practices prevail (e.g., higher costs). PlanetHealth will develop and implement a quantitative, cross-sectional survey in the travel clinics of Zurich and Australia to gather data on the health and travel behaviors of travelers. The study results will then be disseminated at an interdisciplinary workshop involving travel medicine experts, psychologists, and implementation scientists. The workshop will focus on translating the study’s findings into practical, feasible interventions that can be integrated into travel medicine practice.