TY - JOUR PY - 1999// TI - Parachuting for charity: is it worth the money? A 5-year audit of parachute injuries in Tayside and the cost to the NHS JO - Injury A1 - Lee, Charles Tzu-Chi A1 - Williams, P. A1 - Hadden, W. A. SP - 283 EP - 287 VL - 30 IS - 4 N2 - All parachute injuries from two local parachute centres over a 5-year period were analysed. Of 174 patients with injuries of varying severity, 94% were first-time charity-parachutists. The injury rate in charity-parachutists was 11% at an average cost of 3751 Pounds per casualty. Sixty-three percent of casualties who were charity-parachutists required hospital admission, representing a serious injury rate of 7%, at an average cost of 5781 Pounds per patient. The amount raised per person for charity was 30 Pounds. Each pound raised for charity cost the NHS 13.75 Pounds in return. Parachuting for charity costs more money than it raises, carries a high risk of serious personal injury and places a significant burden on health resources. LA - SN - 0020-1383 UR - http://dx.doi.org/ ID - ref1 ER -