Health Supply Utilization at a Boy Scout Summer Camp: An Evaluation for Improvement and Preparedness

To describe the health conditions treated by a health services center at a Boy Scout summer camp and make recommendations for appropriate resources and supplies.

We conducted a retrospective review of health center utilization at a Boy Scout camp in central Missouri during the summers of 2012 and 2013. Health logbook data were compiled and analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistics.

During the study period 19,771 camp participants made 1586 visits to the health care center. The overall incidence rate of health center visits was 6.20 visits per 1000 camp days. Two-thirds of visits were for illness and the remainder for injury. Over 90% of patients were returned to camp, 7.3% were transferred to another health facility, and 1.6% were advised to leave camp and return home. The most common treatments were rehydration (17.8 %) and administration of analgesics (13.4%) and topical creams (12.3%).

Summer camps need to be prepared for a wide range of conditions and injuries in youth campers, leaders, and staff members. Over 90% of presenting complaints were managed on site, and the majority of conditions were easily treatable minor injuries and illnesses. We provide recommendations for appropriate medical supplies and suggest opportunities for improvement to aid health centers in planning and treatment.