Introduction The high mortality among children of foreign Previous research has shown that in the descent living in the Netherlands has long been a Netherlands there is a certain degree of preventcause of concern (Uniken-Venema et al., 1995; able mortality associated with long-distance Schulpen, 1996; Steenbergen et al., 1997 Steenbergen et al., , 1999. travel, particularly among children of ethnic In the age group 0-14 years, children born of minority descent. In 1985 a health promotion

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... from countries such as Morocco, Turkey, campaign was launched in Amsterdam with Surinam and the Netherlands Antilles show mortalthe aim of reducing travel-related deaths by ity rates two to three times higher than those of increasing knowledge in ethnic minority com-Dutch children of the same age. Research has munities about the risks involved in travel. In shown that an important proportion of the excess the present study, two data sets are used to mortality among minority children takes place examine the possible effects of this health prooutside the Netherlands (van der Wal et al., 1996; motion campaign on travel-related mortality in Steenbergen et al., 1999). children. The first data set, which was collected In the early 1980s, research was carried out locally, indicates that the number of Amsterdam in order to learn more about the circumstances children dying abroad has dropped considerably surrounding mortality in children registered in since 1985. This is particularly true within one Amsterdam and aged 1 week to 14 years (van der group which is highly likely to exhibit risky Wal et al., 1996). Doctors and nurses from the travel behavior. The second data set, which was Child Health Care department of the Municipal collected nationally, shows that an upward trend Health Service Amsterdam interviewed parents in mortality among children aged 0-14 years and teachers about the circumstances related to before 1985 has in fact changed into a downward children's deaths. The results show that many trend since 1985. A similar pattern is observed deaths are associated with people living in Amsterin the Netherlands as a whole, but to a significdam who are of foreign descent and travel 'back antly less pronounced degree than in Amsterhome' for holidays. Infectious diseases and accidam. Although the influence of extraneous dents are important causes of death during these factors can never be fully dismissed, the analysis journeys. Most problems associated with holiday provides support for the conclusion that the mortality appear to be preventable, and are related health promotion campaign did in fact succeed to poor preparation and low levels of knowledge in reducing the number of travel-related deaths. and awareness of possible problems during longdistance travel. For example, there are low levels of travel immunization and few hygienic precautions; sometimes little is done to ensure the use of clean