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Inj Prev 2009;15:413-417 doi:10.1136/ip.2008.020487
  • Brief report

Injury patterns at US and Canadian overnight summer camps: first year of the Healthy Camp study

  1. E Goldlust1,
  2. E Walton1,
  3. R Stanley2,
  4. E Yard3,
  5. B Garst4,
  6. R D Comstock3,5,
  7. L E Erceg6,
  8. R Cunningham2
  1. 1
    University of Michigan Medical School, Department of Emergency Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
  2. 2
    University of Michigan Medical School, Department of Emergency Medicine, Injury Research Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
  3. 3
    The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Center for Injury Research and Policy, Columbus, Ohio, USA
  4. 4
    American Camp Association, Martinsville, Indiana, USA
  5. 5
    The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics and College of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology, Columbus, Ohio, USA
  6. 6
    Association of Camp Nurses, Bemidji, Minnesota, USA
  1. Correspondence to Professor E Goldlust, University Emergency Medicine Foundation, 593 Eddy Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA; eric_goldlust{at}brown.edu
  • Accepted 24 March 2009

Abstract

Objective: To describe injury patterns at overnight summer camps in 2006, and identify risk factors for more significant injury.

Design: Surveillance data obtained from Healthy Camp Study from 2006 were analyzed from 71 overnight camps, representing 437 541 camper-days and 206 031 staff-days.

Results: Injuries were reported in 218 campers and 81 staff. 51.8% of injured campers were male versus 34.6% of staff. Among campers, 60.1% were evaluated off-site; 2.3% required hospital admission. 43.9% of injuries required >24 h activity restriction (deemed “significant injury”). Among campers, significant injury was associated with camp sessions ≥14 days (RR 1.48); among staff, with male sex (RR 1.85) and camper-to-staff ratio (RR 0.67). There were no associations with age, time of day, setting, or level of supervision.

Conclusions: Significant injuries are uncommon at overnight summer camps. Rates appear similar to those in comparable activities. Targeted interventions may further reduce injury risk.

Footnotes

  • Funding The Healthy Camp Study is funded by Markel Insurance Company, Glen Allen, Virginia. Sponsoring institutions include the American Camp Association, the Association of Camp Nurses, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Center for Injury Research & Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the National Recreation and Park Association, and the Christian Camp and Conference Association. The present study was otherwise unfunded and unsponsored.

  • Competing interests Several of the authors are affiliated with these organizations. EW is on the Advisory Board for the American Camp Association, and BG is employed by the American Camp Association. EY and RDC are employed by the Center for Injury Research and Policy. LEE is employed by the Association of Camp Nurses. None of these individuals was involved directly in the data analysis, and none of these agencies is believed to have a vested interest in the results of this study.

  • Each author contributed substantially to this study in the following areas: EG: conception and design of the present analysis, analysis and interpretation of data drafting the article, revising the article critically; EW: conception and design of the present analysis, conception and design of the Healthy Camp Study, analysis and interpretation of data, revising the article critically; RS: conception and design of the present analysis, analysis and interpretation of data, revising the article critically; EY: conception and design of the Healthy Camp Study, revising the article critically; BG: conception and design of the Healthy Camp Study, revising the article critically; RDC: conception and design of the Healthy Camp Study, revising the article critically; LEE: conception and design of the Healthy Camp Study, revising the article critically; RC: conception and design of the present analysis, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting the article, revising the article critically.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

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