Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-2lccl Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T15:52:42.044Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Health Service Impact from Mass Gatherings: A Systematic Literature Review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 December 2016

Jamie Ranse*
Affiliation:
University of Canberra, Faculty of Health, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Flinders University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia St John Ambulance Australia (New South Wales), Event Health Services, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Alison Hutton
Affiliation:
Flinders University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Toby Keene
Affiliation:
Australian Catholic University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Australian Capital Territory Ambulance Service, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Shane Lenson
Affiliation:
Australian Catholic University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Matt Luther
Affiliation:
Calvary Health Care ACT, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Nerolie Bost
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Gold Coast Health, Southport, Queensland, Australia Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Amy N. B. Johnston
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Gold Coast Health, Southport, Queensland, Australia Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Julia Crilly
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Gold Coast Health, Southport, Queensland, Australia Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Matt Cannon
Affiliation:
St John Ambulance Australia (New South Wales), Event Health Services, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Nicole Jones
Affiliation:
University of Canberra, Faculty of Health, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Canberra Hospital, Intensive Care Unit, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Courtney Hayes
Affiliation:
University of Canberra, Faculty of Health, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Brandon Burke
Affiliation:
Canberra Hospital, Intensive Care Unit, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Medical School, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
*
Correspondence: Jamie Ranse, RN, FACN, FCENA, BNurs University of Canberra University Drive Bruce, Australian Capital Territory 2617 Australia E-mail: jamie@jamieranse.com

Abstract

Background

During a mass gathering, some participants may receive health care for injuries or illnesses that occur during the event. In-event first responders provide initial assessment and management at the event. However, when further definitive care is required, municipal ambulance services provide additional assessment, treatment, and transport of participants to acute care settings, such as hospitals. The impact on both ambulance services and hospitals from mass-gathering events is the focus of this literature review.

Aim

This literature review aimed to develop an understanding of the impact of mass gatherings on local health services, specifically pertaining to in-event and external health services.

Method

This research used a systematic literature review methodology. Electronic databases were searched to find articles related to the aim of the review. Articles focused on mass-gathering health, provision of in-event health services, ambulance service transportation, and hospital utilization.

Results

Twenty-four studies were identified for inclusion in this review. These studies were all case-study-based and retrospective in design. The majority of studies (n=23) provided details of in-event first responder services. There was variation noted in reporting of the number and type of in-event health professional services at mass gatherings. All articles reported that patients were transported to hospital by the ambulance service. Only nine articles reported on patients presenting to hospital. However, details pertaining to the impact on ambulance and hospital services were not reported.

Conclusions

There is minimal research focusing on the impact of mass gatherings on in-event and external health services, such as ambulance services and hospitals. A recommendation for future mass-gathering research and evaluation is to link patient-level data from in-event mass gatherings to external health services. This type of study design would provide information regarding the impact on health services from a mass gathering to more accurately inform future health planning for mass gatherings across the health care continuum.

RanseJ, HuttonA, KeeneT, LensonS, LutherM, BostN, JohnstonANB, CrillyJ, CannonM, JonesN, HayesC, BurkeB. Health Service Impact from Mass Gatherings: A Systematic Literature Review. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(1):71–77.

Type
Comprehensive Reviews
Copyright
© World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Zeitz, KM, Schneider, DPA, Jarrett, D, Zeitz, CJ. Mass gathering events: retrospective analysis of patient presentations over seven years. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2002;17(3):147-150.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2. Arbon, P. Mass-gathering medicine: a review of the evidence and future directions for research. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2007;22(2):131-135.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3. Lund, A, Turris, S, Bowles, R, et al. Mass-gathering health research foundational theory: part 1 - population models for mass gatherings. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(6):648-654.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4. Arbon, P. The development of conceptual models for mass-gathering health. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2004;19(3):208-212.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Hutton, A, Ranse, J, Verdonk, N, et al. Understanding the characteristics of patient presentations of young people at outdoor music festivals. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(2):160-166.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6. Meites, E, Brown, JF. Ambulance need at mass gatherings. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2010;25(6):511-514.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7. Ranse, J, Hutton, A. Minimum data set for mass-gathering health research and evaluation: a discussion paper. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2012;27(6):543-550.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8. Ranse, J, Hutton, A, Turris, S, Lund, A. Enhancing the minimum data set for mass-gathering research and evaluation: an integrative literature review. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(3):280-289.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9. Turris, SA, Lund, A, Hutton, A, et al. Mass-gathering health research foundational theory: part 2 - event modeling for mass gatherings. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(6):655-663.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10. Liberati, A, Altman, DG, Tetzlaff, J, et al. The PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies that evaluate health care interventions: explanation and elaboration. Ann Intern Med. 2009;151(4):W65-W94.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11. Grissom, CK, Finnoff, JT, Murdock, DC, Culberson, JT. Nordic venue medical services during the 2002 Winter Olympics. J Emerg Med. 2006;30(2):203-210.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12. Hiltunen, T, Hiltunen, T, Kuisma, M, et al. Prehospital emergency care and medical preparedness for the 2005 World Championship Games in Athletics in Helsinki. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2007;22(4):304-311.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13. Yazawa, K, Kamijo, Y, Sakai, R, et al. Medical care for a mass gathering: the Suwa Onbashira Festival. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2007;22(5):431-435.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14. Dutch, MJ, Senini, LM, Taylor, DJ. Mass gathering medicine: the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games experience. Emerg Med Australas. 2008;20(3):228-233.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15. Nguyen, RB, Milsten, AM, Cushman, JT. Injury patterns and levels of care at a marathon. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2008;23(6):519-525.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16. Tang, N, Kraus, CK, Brill, JD, et al. Hospital-based event medical support for the Baltimore Marathon, 2002-2005. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2008;12(3):320-326.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17. Agar, C, Pickard, L, Bhangu, A. The Tough Guy prehospital experience: patterns of injury at a major UK endurance event. Emerg Med J. 2009;26(11):826-830.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18. Boeke, PS, House, HR, Graber, MA. Injury incidence and predictors on a multiday recreational bicycle tour: the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa, 2004 to 2008. Wilderness Environ Med. 2010;21(3):202-207.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19. Grant, WD, Nacca, NE, Prince, LA, Scott, JM. Mass-gathering medical care: retrospective analysis of patient presentations over five years at a multi-day mass gathering. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2010;25(2):183-187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20. Wood, DM, Beaumont, PO, May, D, Dargan, PI. Recreational drug use presentations during a large outdoor festival event: reduction in hospital emergency department transfer where medical physicians are present. J Subst Use. 2010;15(6):434-441.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21. Gutman, SJ, Lund, A, Turris, SA. Medical support for the 2009 World Police and Fire Games: a descriptive analysis of a large-scale participation event and its impact. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2011;26(1):33-40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22. Jennings, N, Waugh, A, Di Nunzio, J, et al. The Australian FORMULA 1 Grand Prix Medical Centre, Melbourne, March 2011. Australas Emerg Nurs J. 2012;15(2):116-120.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23. Lyons, N, Jackson, S, Bhangu, A. A summer of cricket: prospective evaluation of all contacts with medical services at Edgbaston cricket ground during summer 2009. Eur J Emerg Med. 2011;18(3):172-175.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24. Blank, C, Schamasch, P, Engebretsen, L, et al. Medical services at the first Winter Youth Olympic Games 2012 in Innsbruck/Austria. Br J Sports Med. 2012;46(15):1048-1054.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25. Bledsoe, B, Songer, P, Buchanan, K, et al. Burning Man 2011: mass-gathering medical care in an austere environment. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2012;16(4):469-476.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
26. Krul, J, Sanou, B, Swart, EL, Girbes, AR. Medical care at mass gatherings: Emergency Medical Services at large-scale rave events. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2012;27(1):71-74.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
27. Bortolin, M, Ulla, M, Bono, A, et al. Holy Shroud Exhibition 2010: health services during a 40-day mass-gathering event. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2013;28(3):239-244.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
28. Locoh-Donou, S, Guofen, Y, Welcher, M, et al. Mass-gathering medicine: a descriptive analysis of a range of mass-gathering event types. Am J Emerg Med. 2013;31(5):843-846.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
29. McGrath, TM, Yehl, MA. Injury and illness in mountain bicycle stage racing: experience from the Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic Race. Wilderness Environ Med. 2012;23(4):356-359.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
30. Pakravan, AH, West, RJ, Hodgkinson, DW. Suffolk Show 2011: prehospital medical coverage in a mass-gathering event. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2013;28(5):529-532.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
31. Williamson, T, Wheeler, P, Stephens, C, Ferguson, M. Emergency care provision at the 2009 Special Olympics Great Britain. Emerg Med J. 2013;30(5):411-413.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
32. Lund, A, Turris, SA, Wang, P, et al. An analysis of patient presentations at a 2-day mass-participation cycling event: the Ride to Conquer Cancer Case Series, 2010-2012. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(4):429-436.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
33. Sabra, JP, Cabañas, JG, Bedolla, J, Borgmann, S, et al. Medical support at a large-scale motorsports mass-gathering event: the Inaugural Formula One United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(4):392-398.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
34. Boyle, J, Jessup, M, Crilly, J, et al. Predicting emergency department admissions. Emerg Med J. 2012;29(5):358-365.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
35. Marcilio, I, Hajat, S, Gouveia, N. Forecasting daily emergency department visits using calendar variables and ambient temperature readings. Acad Emerg Med. 2013;20(8):769-777.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed