Mass gathering medicine for the First East Asian Football Championship and the 24th European/South American Cup in Japan

Eur J Emerg Med. 2007 Apr;14(2):115-7. doi: 10.1097/01.mej.0000224439.74493.b3.

Abstract

It is very important to collect and accumulate data of same-type events from the point of view of appropriate preparedness for mass gathering medicine. On the basis of the experience of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan, the Japanese Association of Disaster Medicine organized the emergency medical assistance team during large football events. The objective was to analyze all clinical presentations available to the on-site physicians during this event. The total number of patients was 51 (patient presentation rate: 0.25/1000 spectators). Trauma, abdominal pain and common cold were the main pathologies encountered. Eight patients were transported to hospital. Forty-one patients (80.4% of total) were treated within the medical station and were not transported to hospital. These dispositions were considered to lighten the burden imposed on activities of local emergency medical services. Sharing databases with local medical services and surveying the outcome of patients are needed to allow patient presentation provision.

MeSH terms

  • Anniversaries and Special Events
  • Disaster Planning / organization & administration*
  • Emergency Medical Services / organization & administration*
  • Emergency Medical Services / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Japan
  • Soccer*