TY - JOUR
T1 - Emergency Department Visits from a Local Amusement Park
AU - Olympia, Robert P.
AU - Brady, Jodi
AU - Rupp, Valerie
AU - Lansenderfer, Cheryl
PY - 2011/7
Y1 - 2011/7
N2 - Background: There are limited published data examining Emergency Department (ED) presentations associated with amusement parks, and even fewer data on presentations not associated with roller coaster rides. Study Objectives: To determine the spectrum of medical and traumatic presentations to two EDs from nearby amusement parks. Methods: A retrospective chart review of prospectively identified, enrolled, and surveyed patients was conducted at two EDs in Pennsylvania during the summer of 2006. Any patient presenting with a medical or traumatic complaint that occurred within 12 h of ED presentation and was associated with a visit to the local amusement park was prospectively identified and details of the visit were retrospectively reviewed. Results: There were a total of 325 discharge diagnoses for the 296 ED visits identified; 74% of discharge diagnoses were trauma related. The most common traumatic diagnoses were laceration (27%) and head injury or concussion (14%). The most common non-traumatic diagnosis was heat-related illness (24%). Twenty-nine percent of discharge diagnoses were directly associated with amusement park rides. Eighty-nine percent of patients were discharged home. There were no mortalities reported. Conclusion: The majority of ED visits from nearby amusement parks were benign and did not require hospitalization.
AB - Background: There are limited published data examining Emergency Department (ED) presentations associated with amusement parks, and even fewer data on presentations not associated with roller coaster rides. Study Objectives: To determine the spectrum of medical and traumatic presentations to two EDs from nearby amusement parks. Methods: A retrospective chart review of prospectively identified, enrolled, and surveyed patients was conducted at two EDs in Pennsylvania during the summer of 2006. Any patient presenting with a medical or traumatic complaint that occurred within 12 h of ED presentation and was associated with a visit to the local amusement park was prospectively identified and details of the visit were retrospectively reviewed. Results: There were a total of 325 discharge diagnoses for the 296 ED visits identified; 74% of discharge diagnoses were trauma related. The most common traumatic diagnoses were laceration (27%) and head injury or concussion (14%). The most common non-traumatic diagnosis was heat-related illness (24%). Twenty-nine percent of discharge diagnoses were directly associated with amusement park rides. Eighty-nine percent of patients were discharged home. There were no mortalities reported. Conclusion: The majority of ED visits from nearby amusement parks were benign and did not require hospitalization.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jemermed.2008.04.052
DO - 10.1016/j.jemermed.2008.04.052
M3 - Article
C2 - 19022606
AN - SCOPUS:79960556598
SN - 0736-4679
VL - 41
SP - 14
EP - 20
JO - Journal of Emergency Medicine
JF - Journal of Emergency Medicine
IS - 1
ER -