It’s the Grim(grim) Reality(rēˈalətē) of Frequent(ˈfrēkwənt) Work Travel(ˈtravəl): Health Problems

It’s the Grim(grim) Reality(rēˈalətē) of Frequent(ˈfrēkwənt) Work Travel(ˈtravəl): Health Problems

By Tammy La Gorce

Their lives may be portrayed(pôrˈtrā) as glamorous(ˈglamərəs). In fact, they’re often the opposite(ˈäpəzit). Pity(ˈpitē) frequent business travelers.

Doctors at organizations including the Centers for Disease(diˈzēz) Control and Prevention(priˈvenCHən) and the International Society(səˈsīətē) of Travel Medicine(ˈmedisən) say they are hearing of a range of health problems in frequent travelers, from insomnia(inˈsämnēə) and weight(wāt) gain(gān) to viruses(ˈvīrəs). And they said they see a need for more comprehensive(ˌkämpriˈhensiv) research into the health compromises(ˈkämprəˌmīz) made by business travelers, both short(SHôrt) haul(hôl) and long haul.

“The whole noncommunicable(kəˈmyo͞onikəbəl) disease side of travel health is something that’s been under-researched,” said Dr. Martin Cetron, director of the division(diˈviZHən) of global migration(mīˈgrāSHən) and quarantine(ˈkwôrənˌtēn) at the C.D.C.

Lin Chen, the incoming president(ˈprez(ə)dənt,ˈprezəˌdent) of the International Society of Travel Medicine and an associate(əˈsoʊsiˌeɪt) professor(prəˈfesər) of medicine at Harvard Medical School, said that jet(jet) lag(lag), combined with a lack(lak) of access to exercise(ˈeksərˌsīz) and fresh(freSH) food while on the road and sporadic(spəˈradik) engagement(enˈgājmənt) at home, needs rigorous(ˈrigərəs) study. “Right now, it’s hard to know the impact because not enough research has been done,” she said. “But certainly(ˈsərtnlē) it’s significant(sigˈnifikənt).”

Dr. Cetron said the image of the jet-setter who flies around making million-dollar deals no longer reflects the experience of most business travelers. “The reality is that the full spectrum(ˈspektrəm) of the work force now travels. Not just C.E.O.s but the more modest(ˈmädəst) businessperson — think of junior(ˈjo͞onyər) employees(emˈploi-ē,ˌemploiˈē) at multinational(ˌməltiˈnaSHənl,ˌməltī-) companies, or aid(ād) workers who are called to respond to international crises(ˈkrīsis). Some of these people have to travel on really shoestring(ˈSHo͞oˌstriNG) budgets(ˈbəjit).” For them, flying business class or staying in fancy(ˈfansē) hotels is not an option.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/27/business/business-travel-health-problems.html