TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2011//
TI  - Emergency Department Visits from a Local Amusement Park
JO  - Journal of emergency medicine
A1  - Olympia, Robert P.
A1  - Brady, Jodi
A1  - Rupp, Valerie
A1  - Lansenderfer, Cheryl
SP  - 14
EP  - 20
VL  - 41
IS  - 1
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.  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0736-4679
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2008.04.052
ID  - ref1
ER  -