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Emergency Department Presentations During Southwest Leavers Week 2022: A Retrospective Observational Study
James Borshoff1, Siena McQuillan1,2, Emma Jamieson1,3
1The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.
Emergency Medicine Australasia : EMA
|August 14, 2026
Summary
Leavers WA celebrations placed a significant burden on emergency departments, with most presentations related to alcohol and drug use. An in-event health service likely reduced this burden, improving patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Emergency Medicine
- Event Health Services
Background:
- Youth mass gathering events (MGEs) like 'Leavers' in Western Australia present unique public health challenges.
- Understanding patient presentations to emergency departments (EDs) and in-event health services (IEHS) is crucial for effective service delivery and harm reduction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe emergency department (ED) presentation characteristics and outcomes for young people attending the 'Leavers' MGE in Southwest Western Australia.
- To inform in-event health service (IEHS) delivery and harm minimisation strategies for future MGEs.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective observational study was conducted on patient presentations to the Busselton ED during the 2022 'Leavers' MGE.
- Data were collected for 4 days of IEHS operation, 2 days prior, and 3 days post-MGE, with descriptive and inferential statistical analyses performed.
Main Results:
- 121 (1.26%) 'Leavers' presented to the ED, with the majority (85.1%) from the community. Medical illness and alcohol/illicit substance use were the most common reasons for presentation (48.8% and 51.2% respectively).
- Of 557 attendees presenting to the IEHS, 18 (3.2%) required hospital transport. Most ED presentations (85.6%) were managed and discharged within 4 hours.
Conclusions:
- The 'Leavers' MGE significantly burdened the regional ED, with over half of presentations linked to alcohol/substance use, requiring urgent or semi-urgent assessment.
- The IEHS likely mitigated the ED burden during its operational hours. Further research is recommended for standardising data collection and evaluating harm reduction strategies.
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