@article{ref1,
title="Overseas visitors admitted to Queensland hospitals for water-related injuries",
journal="Medical journal of Australia",
year="2000",
author="Wilks, J. and Coory, M.",
volume="173",
number="5",
pages="244-246",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To determine the number of overseas visitors admitted to Queensland hospitals for water-related injuries over three years, the causes of their injuries, the resulting conditions treated, and the type of hospitals to which they were admitted. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of admissions of overseas visitors to Queensland hospitals over the three financial years 1995/96, 1996/97 and 1997/98. PATIENTS: 296 overseas visitors admitted for water-related injuries, identified from hospital records by their usual place of residence. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number of admissions, causes of injuries, conditions treated, and bed days occupied by these patients at different types of hospitals (metropolitan, regional and rural public hospitals, and private hospitals). RESULTS: The 296 overseas visitors accounted for a total of 596 separate admissions, many of these the result of patients with decompression illness being admitted several times to a regional hospital hyperbaric chamber for treatment as day patients. The largest number of injuries involved the use of diving equipment. The main conditions treated were decompression illness (54.7%), fractures and dislocations (15.5%), and drowning and non-fatal submersion (14.9%). Overall, overseas visitors admitted to hospital following a water-related incident occupied 1215 bed days; 90% of these admissions were to regional hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: The main reason for admission of overseas visitors is for decompression illness, suggesting that the prevention of injuries among scuba divers requires further coordinated efforts by health and tourism authorities.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0025-729X",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}