Medical Tourism & Body Obsession in the UK

This literature review investigates the impact of medical tourism and the obsession with achieving a perfect body, focusing on individuals in the UK. It explores the concept of medical tourism, examining its advantages (lower costs, access to specialists, quality care) and disadvantages (insurance coverage, travel expenses, communication barriers). The review delves into the relationship between medical tourism and body image obsession, highlighting the influence of celebrities and the increasing demand for cosmetic surgery. The impact of NHS cuts on UK patients and the subsequent rise in medical tourism is also analyzed. Finally, the study identifies various risks associated with traveling abroad for surgery, including infection, medication dangers, communication issues, and travel concerns, and suggests ways to mitigate these risks. The review concludes by emphasizing the need for thorough research and informed decision-making before pursuing medical treatment abroad.

Literature review

Table of Contents
Concept of Medical tourism.........................................................................................................1
Relationship between medical tourism and obsession of people to have perfect body...............2
References........................................................................................................................................8

Title: To identify the impact of medical tourism and obsession of people to have perfect body:
A study on people of UK
Introduction
Medical tourism is where people travel from their home country to another country for for
receiving different kind of treatment such as surgical care, dental etc. at the same time in another
country they receive more care and best treatment as compare to their own country (Chen and
Wilson, 2013). There are many people who travel for medical care in another country due to
affordability or for high quality of care. Travelling in search of medical care is not new process.
Since from many years people travels for medical care in context to surgery. There are many
people who only travel for surgeries (Cosmetic) or similar to this. In rare case people with
genetic disorder like to travel to other countries where the high treatment can be provided to
patient. There are many surgery procedure performed in medical tourism destination which cost
a fraction of price they do in another countries. There are some popular destinations for medical
treatment such as Costa Rica, India, Mexico and United states. While some popular destination
for cosmetic surgery are Cuba, Turkey, Brazil, Costa Rica etc. further there are more than 70%
high and middle class women in UK who have some form of plastic surgery (Hanefeld, Smith
and Lunt, 2014). There are some risk which is associated with medical tourism, which locally
provided medical care does not possess. There are some countries such as Thailand and South
Africa, where have some infectious disease related to epidemiology. Due to exposure to this
disease without building up natural immunity can impact individual especially with respect to
gastrointestinal disease. The present study is conducted for identifying the impact of medical
tourism and its increasing demand among the people. In this report, a discussion is done on why
people have gone to the extreme for body obsession to look like a celebrity.
Background of study
In the modern era, medical tourism increases and become popular in the UK where people like
to travel another country for cosmetic surgery. This medical tourism is subject to a large number
of risk, for example, deep vein thrombosis from air travel or due to poor post operative care.
Further, there is some factor which leads to increase in medical care that is the high cost of
health care, easiness in affordability of international travel and use of advanced technology

(Connell, 2013). The avoidance of waiting time is the leading factor in the UK for medical
tourism while in United state the main reason behind this is a cheaper price. The reason behind
this study is to identify the factor which leads to increase in medical tourism. Further different
risk and cure associated with cosmetic surgery in medical tourism. There are different risk
factors such as if individual travel long distance after medical surgery lead to some risk of
complication. Further, there are some medical issues with are linked with ethical issues such as
the illegal purchase of tissues and organs for transplantation has been methodically documented
studied in countries that are China, Philippine etc. the National health services England has some
private hospital in the UK which are the medical tourism destination.
Aim; To identify the impact of medical tourism and obsession of people to have perfect body: A
study on people of UK
 To understand the concept of medical tourism
 To determined the relation medical tourism and obsession of people to have perfect body
 To identify the impact of Cuts in NHS had an impact on UK patients and medical tourism
 To make recommendation to reduce the risk involved in travelling to abroad for surgery
Rationale of study
The present study is conducted for identifying the reason why people like to prefer medical
tourism and its impact on health. It is necessary to understand factors which encourage people in
the UK to travel abroad for cosmetic surgery. There are many health care organization who are
grabbing the attention of a large number of people for cosmetic surgery. In the modern era,
celebrity obsession encourages to gone outside the country to extreme look like a celebrity. This
research help in gaining knowledge of the factor that leads to increasing demand for medical
tourism. Along with this role played by the celebrity in obsession body and the way it influences
other people to look like them (Han and Hyun, 2015). However, there is some positive and
negative impact of medical tourism on the health of the individual. This research proposal will
highlight the factor influencing the medical tourism and increase of demand of cosmetic surgery
among people. Further, in this report understand the factor which had an impact on UK patients
and medical tourism and reason they feel to go abroad for medical treatment. There are different

risk which are associated with the medical tourism and increasing demand of cosmetic surgery
avoid different risk. People now want to look like celebrity in UK for this they went outside the
country for cosmetic treatment without knowing its risk on health. This become a current trend in
modern era which give rise to complication in physical body. It is necessary for people to
understand the risk associated with this medical tourism. All risk can be reduced if proper action
taken at the time of travelling another country for cosmetic surgery.
Literature review

Concept of Medical tourism
According to Han and Hyun, 2015 medical tourism can be determined as a process in which
people a country will visit other part of the world in order to get medical support. This type of
situation occurs when the services and the facilities that individuals receive at their country are
of high cost or improper services (Han and Hyun, 2015). With time, there are many changes that
have been taken place in respect to technology and people prefer to get services that are able to
satisfy them and also able to make sure that they overcome the issues that are faced by them.
There are both positive and negative aspects. As per the data, it can be stated that people from
developed countries visit developing countries so that the issues can be reduced at high extend
and that also at low price. As per Lunt, Smith and King, 2014 medical tourism is a wider term
that is being used for travel and it generally focuses on medical treatment and making use of
healthcare services (Lunt, Smith and King, 2014). In this context, it covers a wide range of health
orientation, health conductive treatment, and tourism ranging. Below given are the positive
aspect of medical tourism:
Low treatment cost: There are many countries around the world, that deliver people with
low cost services or treatments. This is generally available for the developed countries in which
they visit to developing countries (Chuang, Liu and Lee, 2014). There are different type of
conditions that are being faced by people and for which they need to get proper treatment. The
cost that people have to incur at their own countries will be high compared with the cost that they
have to pay at developing countries. For example, people of UK generally visit countries like
India, Bangkok, etc. to get treatment as the cost is low. Further, the currency rate at these
developing countries are low and so people from UK are able to spend highly and are able to get
proper treatment (Lunt, Mannion and Exworthy, 2013).
Low consulting: In order to get consult for professional, the cost that is obtained from
patients are very high. And it becomes difficult for people to understand the type of issue or
problem that is being faced by them (Crush and Chikanda, 2015). There are cases in which
people, in order to save money of consultation, they will not show up to professional in order to
save their money. Due to this condition, people face different type of issues related to health as
they do not get to know that problems that are being faced. With time the problem get serious.
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From this, it can be stated that the consulting fee that is taken by professionals is low and enables
them to get proper services.
Availability of medical experts: With low cost, there are many professionals who are
available to deliver services to people or patients (Ormond and Sulianti, 2017). This way people
get the opportunity to make sure that they get different alternative suggestions that are given by
different professionals. It enables to develop their understanding towards the type of issue or
problems that are being faced by people.
Quality: The health care organizations are able to earn highly with the help of medical
tourism. In this context, management is able to make use of updated or new technology with the
help of which high quality services are being delivered to people (Hanefeld, Horsfall and Smith,
2013). As per the findings, it has been identified that people have developed a negative
perception that the services or the facilities that are being provided at developing countries are
not proper. Medical tourism can be determined as one of the effective source through which
economic condition of a country is improved.
Below given are disadvantages that are faced by people due to medical tourism. These
have negative impact over the perception of people and to get treatment from other countries.
Insurance coverage: The type of medical treatment that is being taken by individuals
may vary from place to place. In case the services is not available for the country in which the
treatment is being conducted, then it becomes a loss for the patient as they will not be able get
back the money from the insurance that is taken by them (Lunt, Mannion and Exworthy, 2013).
Travel cost: In order to reach the country in which the treatment is to be provided, the
cost that is involved for travelling may some time makes the cost equal in case the treatment is
made in their own country. Further, there are other cost like food, accommodation, etc. that is
involved and this increases the cost of treatment over all. Further, there are condition in which
professional suggest to stay back for long so that proper treatment can be provided. However, in
such condition, it becomes difficult for them to stay long due to lack of money (Viladrich and
Baron-Faust, 2014). This type of situation arise due to the medical check up that has to be made
by professional so that the rate of issue can be reduced.
Relationship between medical tourism and obsession of people to have perfect body
There are many changes that has take place within the taste and preference of people. In
this modern world, people prefer to stay fit and for this purpose, there are many different type of
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surgeries that are available so that each and every body part can be made perfect and attractive
(Chen and Wilson, 2013). Presently in UK, the rate of surgeries are increasing and this is just to
make themselves attractive. For this purpose, there are many actresses who make sue of these
surgeries. Further, there are many fans who follow their steps and the issues identified in their
body are operated.
There are many examples that can be take into consideration in which one of the example
is of Kylie Jenner who have made use of number of surgeries. It has been identified that there are
three time in which she has made use of surgery in order to make her body attractive (Hanefeld,
Smith and Lunt, 2014). This type of aspects make other to get motivated and to make use of
surgeries so that they will be able to make their body attract. As per the findings, it can be stated
that the rate of surgeries in UK have raised. There are different type of reasons that have been
identified in which one of the main reason is to grab others attention. In this modern world,
people prefer to stay fit and healthy and to grab attention of others. This way people make use of
various surgeries that are available around the work in which they select the one which is of low
cost. Further, generally people do not prefer to share the sugary that is made. People do not
prefer to share their information about the surgery make. On the other hand, the other health
related conditions and the treatment that is required by them is shared to others (Han and Hyun,
2014). People are highly influenced by the acts that are performed by celebrities. Celebrities
move to another country for different type of surgery influence other people for medical tourism.
The cosmetic plastic surgery is one of the most popular medical procedure which is undertaken
in modern era. Along with this it also strengthen the presence of medical tourism possibilities
which increase the change of possibilities of having the cosmetic treatment in foreign
destination. One of the main reason of people which give rise in the utilization of cosmetic
surgery. It is a need of people to be seen like their favourite celebrities in terms of physical
appearance and beauty. There are many lots of people who spend their money and undertake lots
of pain efforts in order to look like celebrities. This seems to be more attraction and pleasure of
the celebrities by the fans but on the other hand their hand is a dark side of cosmetic surgery on
people it they continuous utilize the this procedure. Whereas obsession is created in the people if
they frequently use this process for maintain their desired level of features. This cosmetic
surgery have some positive and negative impact on people and celebrity too. This trend in
modern era become competitive for looking gorgeous in term of physical features. This lead to
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adverse outcome which impact the health of people. People are spending their lots of income on
medical tourism only for looking like celebrity. Along with this it can be stated that their is some
effectiveness of cosmetic surgery. There are different factor which lead to the development of
complication or also impact the patient.
The impact of Cuts in NHS had an impact on UK patients and medical tourism
According to the view of Lunt, Mannion and Exworthy, (2013) the increase in medical
tourism lead to some significant challenges for the National health services (NHS). There are
more than 50,000 individual from UK travel to other country for dental and cosmetic surgery,
orthopaedic etc. along with this UK also faced experiences inwards flows if patients who travel
from another country to UK for receiving treatment they are treated in both NHS and privately.
There are some economic consequences of medical tourism on NHS. There is implication from
the high inflow of international patient and UK using overseas provide. NHS made new revenue
stream which have some major implication for patients in the national health services. There is
great impact of Brexit on medical tourism. The downturn in the public finance and economy may
be benefit for medical tourism from the UK. There are people in UK who want to save money on
treatment and try to escape waiting list which is likely grow. Further EU invest in UK medical
research which is now not possible and impact the health and care system of UK. There was 12%
of staff in NHS is from EU which is negatively impacted due to Brexit. As per view of Eissler
and Casken, (2013) the cuts in NHS force people to buy medicine from Facebook and other
websites which risk their health. The Online network connect people to denied medicines on the
NHS with paramcists in India and Australia. Along with this there are many negative impact on
UK patient and medical tourism. Due to leaving European union, UK unable to provide better
services to its patients because it not has enough fund for providing high quality treatment to its
patients. Along with this it also unable to hire highly skilled staff because at the time of working
with EU it have highly skilled staff of European Unions. People who travel from other country
for treatment purpose were charged high fees for surgery which lower the demand of NHS.
There are lots of people who are involved in survey to make their features attractive but due to
this they forget to become main purpose of surgery.
Risk involved in travelling to abroad for surgery
For going abroad for medical treatment it is necessary to collect some information for
making a right choice. There are different issues which are need to be considered. Different type
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of medical treatment involve some risk whether treatment receive in UK or abroad. At the time
of taking surgery there are some complication which are involved in it which should be known
by the patients. After surgery it is necessary to closely monitor the patient after operation for
minimising the risk and consequences of complication. Some of the common complication are
Post- operative infection. Along with this there are some general travel health risk of the
destination. Some of the risk involved in medical tourism are as follows:
 Infection: Infection is one of the biggest risk which of medical tourism. There are
different standard of cleaning and medical facilities can be hygienic. Infection can be
occur due to different reason which include the practice of unsanitary and facilities. For
example equipment used at the time of surgery may not be sterile. Viral infection and
bacteria may by one of the major risk which lead to convert it into serious disease such as
HIV and hepatitis due to dirty injection and surgical equipment.
 Medication dangers: In this it may required medication and after and before treatment in
another country (Snyder and et. al., 2013.). This impact the health of individual if
medication which was received by them is of low quality. It can hurt at the time of
medical tourism journey.
 Communication issues: It involved the language issues which are faced by patient at the
time of taking treatment in another country. It make difficult for patient to communicate
is health issues or ask for health if it feel something wrong in body (Lunt, Smith and
King, 2014). This can be serious issue which are faced by people in other country. Due
to some time misunderstanding lead to serious complication after treatment.
 Travel concern: In many patient increase the risk of blood clots at the time of travelling
through flight. In addition to this combination of surgery and stressed which impact the
health of individuals. Hence travelling can increase the risk of infection an complication
after surgery.
Further, in cosmetic surgery, The micobacterial infection increases the medical risk and this
risk can be increased due to hot and humid environment and where bacteria impact more fastly.
General infection at the time of surgery is common risk which is linked with medical tourism.
Ormond and Sulianti, (2017) explained that tissues rejection after the transplantation have a
higher rate of the major risk of medical tourism which can also fatal for the patient. There are
different country in which blood is collected from paid donors and some time it not screened
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properly. So this unscreened blood lead to infection in body and increase the risk. Further this
can be worked as a fatal condition like HIV. Apart from this there are some legal and ethical
risk associated with medical tourism. It is a right of patient to take decision by its owns because
this is a primary concern in medical ethics. Further in medical tourism risk is high because
wrong information can be provided to patient which can impact their health. Standard of medical
ethics for the specific process change from country to country. So the difference in standard lead
to major issues at the time of traspalation. There are some high legal risk which is associated
with medical tourism. Some of the possible complication of cosmetic surgery is age of patient,
infection at the operation site, consumption of drugs etc. in addition to this at the time of surgery
if high standard of treatment not provided by doctor then it impact physically to people. Before
visiting any medical treatment it is necessary to collect full information of hospital and services
provider.
According to the view of Woodhead, (2013) there are some benefit of surgeries in other
countries that is it less expensive from the different procedures. Along with this, staff are highly
trained which lead to increase the chance of avoiding risk and success of surgery. There are
different way through which risk can be reduced in medical tourism. At the time of deciding to
move in another country for treatment individual need to first research all this problems and
factor which can lead to risk after surgery.
Along with this is also need to make sure that doctor provide treatment after taking
communicating properly to patient and identifying if patient suffering from some other disease or
allergies. If any person is planning for travelling to other country for medical treatment then it
need to see medicines practitioner of 4 to 5 weeks before the trip and with this it also need to
collect some information in relation to health travel and risk associated with this travel. Further it
also need to make current medical condition and controlled. It also need to take some advice
from its health care professionals so that at the time of travelling no issues faced by patient. It
also need to make sure that it have medical treatment in written agreement so that it not face any
issues in another country (Casey, Crooks and Turner, 2013). Communication is one of the main
barrier which impact the health of individual. At the time of cosmetic surgery patient need to
evaluate its own personal physical characteristics before taking any process of surgery. It help in
avoiding the complication and which risk which are associated with the surgery. Apart from this
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firm need to accept people with their actual identity without giving any perspective based on
physical characteristics.
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Lunt, N.T., Mannion, R. and Exworthy, M., 2013. A framework for exploring the policy
implications of UK medical tourism and international patient flows. Social Policy &
Administration.47(1). pp.1-25.
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Crush, J. and Chikanda, A., 2015. South–South medical tourism and the quest for health in
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