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In-flight psychiatric emergencies.

K Matsumoto¹, D Goebert

¹Department of Psychiatry, University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu 96813, USA. KM@hawaii.rr.com

Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine

|October 17, 2001

Summary

In-flight psychiatric emergencies occur in 3.5% of medical consultations, often presenting as acute anxiety. Rapid-acting anxiolytics may be beneficial for onboard medical kits to manage these events.

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Area of Science:

Aviation Medicine
Psychiatry
Emergency Medicine

Background:

Limited research exists on in-flight psychiatric emergencies, despite established studies on other medical events during air travel.
This study aims to determine the frequency, contributing factors, and outcomes of psychiatric emergencies encountered on commercial flights.

Observation:

A review of 1375 physician consultations to MedAire in 1997 identified psychiatric emergencies.
Psychiatric cases constituted 3.5% of all in-flight medical consultations.

Findings:

The majority of in-flight psychiatric emergencies (90%) presented as acute anxiety.
Most psychiatric cases (69%) necessitated post-flight medical evaluation.
Three instances required emergency flight diversion due to the severity of the psychiatric event.

Implications:

The findings suggest a need for rapid-acting anxiolytic medications in airline medical kits.
Proactive management strategies for in-flight psychiatric distress could improve passenger safety and well-being.
Further research into the specific triggers and effective interventions for in-flight psychiatric emergencies is warranted.

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