Living abroad can be an exciting experience. It seems that more and more people want to go off and experience life in a different country, or maybe multiple countries. However, there are a number of factors that you must consider before taking this step – careers, family, finances, and health will all have an impact.
If you manage to settle the first three, then you must plan to protect the fourth aspect. Your health is what sees your through life, and without good health, this change in life could be unpleasant. As much as you might understand how to protect your health when living in your home country, it will differ slightly when you move overseas.
Thankfully, this post has outlined four of the key factors to think about to ensure your health is adequately protected when living abroad.
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Get Health Insurance
One of the most essential ways to protect your health whilst living abroad is to purchase health insurance before you move. It can be a confusing aspect as you might believe it makes more sense to pay as you go if you visit the doctor infrequently or you might think universal healthcare will protect you. While these thoughts might not be incorrect necessarily, it is a little more complicated.
Some countries will provide inexpensive routine appointments, but specialized care and other situations might be a lot costlier. No one wants to imagine becoming gravely ill or injured, but it is always a possibility. If your local hospital is unable to treat you due to complex care needs and inadequate facilities, you might need to be transferred to a more sophisticated medical center, and this will be expensive. This, and the cost of treatments, will accumulate eventually.
Thankfully, there are global health insurance policies that will protect you from experiencing this stress and offer additional benefits. This sort of coverage will ensure you receive healthcare wherever you are. The benefits can include dental care, emergency medical evacuation, hospitalization, maternity care, and more, depending on your selected plan.
Ensure Your Vaccinations Are Up-To-Date
Visiting your doctor before your move is encouraged to make sure your health is protected, especially as this is the perfect time to ensure your routine vaccinations are up-to-date. This will include the measles and tetanus shots. You should also make an appointment with a physician who specializes in travel medicine if you require other vaccines. It is encouraged to do this at least eight weeks before departing your country of origin.
These vaccines will protect you against diseases that are common in your chosen country or countries. If you were brought up in a country like the UK, then there’s a good chance you have already been vaccinated against numerous infections, like tetanus. However, you might need to be vaccinated against diseases like hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, tuberculosis, and yellow fever. The shots you require will depend on your chosen destination, though.
In some countries around the world, you will need to be vaccinated and have proof of these vaccines before entering or exiting. You can contact your general practitioner to request a list of any vaccines held on your medical record for this purpose.
Learn About Local Health Risks
No matter where you go, there will always be unique health challenges to face. It’s important to learn how to adapt to these local health risks to protect yourself abroad, and this can be started with research before you move. A quick Google search of your host country and “health risk” can bring up a lot of results, but this amount of information can become overwhelming. Instead, stick to asking professionals or those with experience, such as doctors or people who live in your chosen destination.
Some of the local health risks you might encounter could be insect-borne illnesses, unsafe drinking water, and undercooked foods. Even countries like the UK can have risks to your health; for example, ticks in the UK can carry infections, like Lyme disease, that might be harmful to you. Ticks are active all-year-round, but they become most active during the summer months, so this is when you should be thorough in your preparations.
Knowing how to protect yourself from these risks is essential, and it can be achieved through simple solutions. You should think about where you eat and drink, purchase safety equipment like mosquito nets, or even ensure clothes cover your skin completely.
Prioritize Your Mental Health
Although moving abroad can be an enriching experience, protecting your health will also include your mental health. After all, moving away from a familiar location where you know people and places, where you are comfortable, can be a tricky adjustment to make. This is why it is critical to prioritize your mental wellbeing while protecting your physical health.
There are several ways to support and make time for your mental health. One of the easiest methods is to begin practicing self-care regularly. This will see you participate in activities that promote physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing, including exercise, healthy eating, and satisfactory amounts of sleep. You should also make time for the activities you enjoy, such as hobbies or interests, to reduce the stress of moving away.
By completing the four factors mentioned in this post, you will have a much better chance of staying healthy while living abroad.
