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Risk factors associated with camp accidents
Tricia B Elliott1, Barbara A Elliott, Mark R Bixby
1School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, USA. elli0346@umn.edu
Wilderness & Environmental Medicine
|March 28, 2003
Summary
Campers on advanced canoe and backpacking trips face higher injury risks. Tracking medical incidents at camps can identify at-risk groups for improved safety protocols and injury prevention.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Sports Medicine
- Camp Safety
Background:
- Outdoor recreation programs involve inherent health risks.
- Effective risk management requires identifying specific high-risk activities and populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a medical incident database for a Minnesota camp.
- To identify high-risk camper groups during canoe and backpacking trips.
Main Methods:
- Collected data on 123 staff and 725 campers over summer 2000.
- Utilized treatment logs and incident reports, analyzed via descriptive statistics and ANOVA.
- Calculated incident rates per 1000 participant days (PD), camper trail days (CTD), and staff trail days (STD).
Main Results:
- 12 evacuations occurred (1/1000 PD).
- Campers reported more incidents than staff (0.4/1000 CD vs. 0.1/1000 CD).
- Highest risks identified in advanced canoe trip groups (10 IR/1000 CTD) and long, advanced backpack trips (9 IR/1000 CTD).
Conclusions:
- Campers on advanced canoe and backpacking trips are at increased risk.
- Systematic tracking of health incidents and near misses is crucial for identifying at-risk groups.
- Data-driven insights can inform targeted safety interventions in outdoor programs.