Get Ready, Get Packed, Read

Books on travel destinations fill bookstore shelves. Less common are titles focused on travelers’ health, yet they abound, on topics as diverse as mountaineering first aid, workout facilities in various U.S. cities and potential health hazards as determined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The following is a roundup of new titles or updated editions:

* The “Directory of English-Speaking Doctors,” 1997 edition, is due out this month from the International Assn. for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). The New York-based organization is a division of the Foundation for the Support of International Medical Training Inc., a charitable organization that funds physician training.

Included in the pocket-size booklet are the names and addresses of physicians worldwide who have agreed to a set payment schedule for those using the directory and who meet medical criteria determined by the respected IAMAT organization. No membership or directory fees are charged to listed physicians.

The free booklet also includes information on immunization requirements and potential and ongoing risks of malaria and other diseases. For a copy, write or call IAMAT, 417 Center St., Lewiston, NY 14092; telephone (716) 754-4883. Donations are accepted.

* The 1997 edition of the “International Travel HealthGuide” is due in bookstores by the end of the month, written by travel medicine specialist Dr. Stuart Rose. Included in the thick, $19.95 paperback is a country-by-country medical guide, updated health information based on federal sources and e-mail addresses for travel medicine clinics nationwide. It is available from the publisher, Travel Medicine ([800] TRAV-MED) or in chain and specialty bookstores.

* New from Mountaineers Books in Seattle is “Mountaineering First Aid,” fourth edition. The book was written for mountain climbers and hikers, with sections devoted to first aid and treatment of insect bites and other outdoor problems. Authors are Jan D. Carline, Martha J. Lentz and Steven C. Macdonald. The $10.95 paperback is available in bookstores or by phone order; tel. (800) 553-4453.

* “Travel Fitness” (Human Kinetics Publishers, $14.95) helps travelers stay faithful to fitness on the road. It includes exercise tips, as well as sleep strategies and stress management techniques. Coauthored by Rebecca Johnson and Bill Tulin, the book is available through bookstores or by phone order; tel. (800) 747-4457.

* Just out from Incline Press Publishing in New York is “The Fitness Guide,” a guide to workout facilities around the country. Author Kyle Merker assembled a list of health clubs in major cities, including hours, addresses, fees, square footage, equipment and other amenities. The $14.95 paperback is in bookstores or can be ordered directly from the publisher; tel. (212) 647-0921.

* “Travel and Stay Healthy: A Traveller’s Medical Guide,” by Paul Zakowich, $12.95, is one of the latest in the Culture Shock! series published in 1996 by the Graphic Arts Center Publishing Co. It provides information on trip preparation, vaccination requirements, tips on adjusting to different climates, foods and drinks to help prevent intestinal distress and coping with jet lag. It’s available in bookstores or by phone order; tel. (800) 452-3032.

* “Staying Healthy in Asia, Africa and Latin America” is a guide for tourists or people doing business in less developed parts of the world. Information on dengue fever, typhoid and other conditions is included in the book, written by Dirk Schroeder. Risks of contracting diseases, disease transmission routes, prevention tips, symptoms and treatments are included. It’s published by Moon Publications; tel. (800) 345-5473.

* “Cadogan Guide to Healthy Travel: Bugs, Bites and Bowels” was published in 1995 and is distributed by Globe Pequot Press; tel. (860) 395-0440. Written by Dr. Jane Wilson Howarth, the paperback covers insect bite treatments, acclimatization, AIDS avoidance, snake-bite treatments and travel-related skin problems. Cost is $9.95.

* The latest version of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Health Information for International Travel” by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, or by phone; tel. (202) 512-1800. Cost is $14.

It includes requirements for vaccinations and recommendations from the U.S. Public Health Service on them, health hints such as protection against mosquito bites, precautions for pregnant women traveling abroad, a description of aircraft disinfection procedures and an explanation of cruise ship sanitation ratings.

The above-mentioned titles are available from the publishers, from major bookstores or from specialty stores, including Geographia Map and Travel Bookstore, Burbank, tel. (818) 848-1414; Distant Lands: A Traveler’s Bookstore and Outfitter, Pasadena, tel. (818) 449-3220; and Traveler’s Bookcase, tel. (213) 655-0575.

The Healthy Traveler appears the second and fourth week of every month.