@article{ref1,
title="The effect of wilderness and medical training on injury and altitude preparedness among backcountry hikers in Rocky Mountain National Park",
journal="World journal of emergency medicine",
year="2018",
author="Yue, Michael D. T. and Spivey, David W. and Gingold, Daniel B. and Sward, Douglas G.",
volume="9",
number="3",
pages="172-177",
abstract="BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to document the correlation between medical and wilderness training with levels of preparedness for acute mountain sickness (AMS), illness, and injury among backcountry hikers. <br><br>METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, convenience survey in Rocky Mountain National Park in July and August 2015. The study group consisted of 380 hikers who completed a written survey that collected information about demographics, wilderness experience, altitude experience, hiking equipment, communications devices, and trip planning. <br><br>RESULTS: Factors such as wilderness training (wilderness first aid [WFA], wilderness first responder [WFR], or wilderness emergency medical technician [WEMT]), wilderness experience, and altitude experience all affected hikers' emergency preparedness. Respondents with medical training were more prepared to avoid or respond to AMS (62.3% vs. 34.3% [<i>P</i><0.001]). They were also more prepared to avoid or manage injury/illness than hikers without medical training (37.7% vs. 20.7% [<i>P</i>=0.003]). Participants with wilderness training were more likely to be prepared to avoid or respond to AMS (52.3% vs. 36.8% [<i>P</i>=0.025]) but not significantly more likely to be prepared to manage illness/injury (31.8% vs. 22.0% [<i>P</i><0.11]). Adjusting for experience, wilderness training, age, and gender, we found that medical training was associated with increased preparedness for AMS (<i>OR</i> 2.72; 95% <i>CI</i> 1.51-4.91) and injury/illness (<i>OR</i> 2.71; 95% <i>CI</i> 1.5-4.89). <br><br>CONCLUSION: Medically trained hikers were more likely to be prepared to avoid or manage AMS, medical emergencies, and injuries than their non-medically trained counterparts. Wilderness training increased hikers' preparedness for AMS but did not significantly alter preparedness for illness/injury.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1920-8642",
doi="10.5847/wjem.j.1920-8642.2018.03.002",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.5847/wjem.j.1920-8642.2018.03.002"
}