Wilderness event medicine: planning for mass gatherings in remote areas

Burdick, Tim

doi:10.1016/j.tmaid.2004.11.007

Cited by 24 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Burdick et al defined WEM as a healthcare response at any event with more than 200 persons located more than 1 hour from hospital treatment 9. While this definition focuses on physical distance from definitive care, it does not account for prolonged extrication time and specialised skills required for evacuation that may exceed local EMS resources.…”

Section: Defining Wilderness Event Medicinementioning

confidence: 99%

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Extreme event medicine: considerations for the organisation of out-of-hospital care during obstacle, adventure and endurance competitions

et al. 2017

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Obstacle, adventure and endurance competitions in challenging or remote settings are increasing in popularity. A literature search indicates a dearth of evidence-based research on the organisation of medical care for wilderness competitions. The organisation of medical care for each event is best tailored to specific race components, participant characteristics, geography, risk assessments, legal requirements, and the availability of both local and outside resources. Considering the health risks and logistical complexities inherent in these events, there is a compelling need for guiding principles that bridge the fields of wilderness medicine and sports medicine in providing a framework for the organisation of medical care delivery during wilderness and remote obstacle, adventure and endurance competitions. This narrative review, authored by experts in wilderness and operational medicine, provides such a framework. The primary goal is to assist organisers and medical providers in planning for sporting events in which participants are in situations or locations that exceed the capacity of local emergency medical services resources.

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Section: Defining Wilderness Event Medicinementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fatalities are uncommon. In adventure racing, for example, the estimated mortality rate is 1/100 000 racer-days 9. Conditions specific to particular geographical locations, such as high altitude or temperature extremes, may influence illness or injury patterns and rates 9 19 29 30…”

Section: Medical Problems Commonly Encountered In Wemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extreme event medicine: considerations for the organisation of out-of-hospital care during obstacle, adventure and endurance competitions

et al. 2017

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“…The unique features of these events, such as the extreme distances and remoteness, make it difficult for medical care providers to be adequately prepared for such events . Many authors have observed that the main reason for seeking medical attention during endurance races is for minor injuries/illnesses such as blisters, musculoskeletal or gastrointestinal problems . The overall incidence of injury/illness is estimated as 1‐10 per 1000 person‐days of exposure for single outdoor activities and one order of magnitude greater for multistage or competitive events and those with extreme environments .…”

Section: Epidemiology: Estimating Incidence and Mortality Of Accidentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ultra‐endurance events present a particularly challenging situation for preventing and managing medical conditions given the race distances, extreme weather conditions and remoteness of many events . Strict regulating bodies, such as those in organized sport, do not exist for these events.…”

Section: Prevention Of Hypothermia In Outdoor Recreation In the Mountmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…12 Ultra-endurance events present a particularly challenging situation for preventing and managing medical conditions given the race distances, extreme weather conditions and remoteness of many events. 83,86,89,97,98 Strict regulating bodies, such as those in organized sport, do not exist for these events. There have been efforts, however, to outline general recommendations for the provision of medical support for ultra-endurance events or adventure races in remote environments.…”

Section: Hypothermia In Outdoor Recreation In the Mountainsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Accidental hypothermia in recreational activities in the mountains: A narrative review

Procter

Brugger

Burtscher

2018

Scandinavian Med Sci Sports

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The popularity of recreational activities in the mountains worldwide has led to an increase in the total number of persons exposed to cold and extreme environments through recreation. There is little conclusive evidence about the risk of hypothermia for specific activities or populations, nor is it clear which activities are represented in the literature. This is a non-systematic review of accidental hypothermia in different recreational activities in the mountains, with a specific focus on outdoor or winter activities that potentially involve cold exposure. Cases of hypothermia have been reported in the literature in mountaineering, trekking, hiking, skiing, activities performed in the backcountry, ultra-endurance events, and databases from search and rescue services that include various types of recreation. Of these activities, hypothermia as a primary illness occurs most commonly during mountaineering in the highest elevation areas in the world and during recreation practiced in more northern or remote areas. Hypothermia in skiers, snowboarders, and glacier-based activities is most often associated with accidents occurring off-piste or in the backcountry (crevasse, avalanche). Organizers of outdoor events also have a role in reducing the incidence of hypothermia through medical screening and other preparedness measures. More complete collection and reporting of data on mild hypothermia and temperature measurement would improve our understanding of the incidence of hypothermia in outdoor recreation in future.

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