Common Causes of Death Among Travelers

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among travelers abroad, accounting for nearly 50 percent of all deaths and the most deaths in travelers older than 55 years of age.⁷ This percentage is similar within the same age group at home and does not necessarily reflect travel-related risks.

Injuries are the cause of approximately 13 percent of travel-related deaths. Motor vehicle accidents are the most common cause of injury-related death in travelers younger than age 55, followed by drowning.^8,9 Compared with the incidence of injury-related death in the United States, the incidence doubles in Southeast Asia and nearly triples in Africa.¹⁰

Infectious diseases cause relatively few travel-related deaths. Travelers’ risk of acquiring life-threatening infections is generally low because prophylactic medications or vaccinations can prevent many infectious diseases. New diseases such as COVID-19, however, can increase the risk.