Outdoor Adventure Practice in Kenya: Injuries, Illnesses, Non- Medical Concerns, and Evacuation Profiles on Mt. Kenya
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Date
2021-01
Authors
Wachira, Lucy Joy
Muthomi, Helen Nkatha
Ooko, Willy Shikuku
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Purdue University
Abstract
Background: Outdooradventureisinevitablylinkedtorisksthatleadtoinjuries,psychologicaldistress,illnesses,andevenfatalities.
Gathering detailedinformationonsuchoccurrencesandtheircontributingfactorsisavaluablecomponentofriskmanagementinoutdoor
programs. Thisstudyinvestigatedtheoccurrenceofinjuries,illnesses,evacuationprofiles,non-medicalconcerns,andnear-misseventsin
outdoor adventurepracticeinKenya.
Methods: Amixed-methodsapproachinvolvingquantitativeandqualitativemethodswasusedtocollectdatafrom136outdoor
adventure practitionersinKenya.Questionnaires,keyinformantinterviews,focusgroupdiscussions,anddeskreviewswereemployedto
collect data.
Results: Themajorityofinjuriesandillnessesoccurduringmountaineering(39%)andhikingandnavigation(25.7%)events.Themost
reported incidentsweremountainsickness(25%)andmusculoskeletalinjuriesconsistingoffractures(30%),cutsandwounds(14.7%),
blisters (12.5%),sprainsanddislocations(12.5%),andmusclestrainsandpulls(8.8%).Outofthe128reportedevacuationincidenceson
Mt. Kenya,95wereduetomountainsicknessand10duetofalls.Combinedageandsexoftheclimbersandthelocation/altitudeonthe
mountain arepredictorsoftheoccurrenceandthetypeofinjury/illnessonthemountain(x2 (10, n 5128) 5 63.32, P , 0.001). However,
only altitudesignificantlycontributestothemodel(P , 0.001). Reportednear-missincidencesincludedflashfloods,aggressive
encounter withwildlife,gettinglostforextendedperiod,nearfallsandslips,androlling-rockfalls.Non-medicalconcernsreported
included extremeanxiety,intoxicationfromdrugandalcoholuse,confrontationandfights,anddisorientation.
Conclusions: Thereisevidentincidenceofinjuriesandillnessesofvaryingseverity,withage,sex,andaltitudereachedbeingkey
predicting factors.Mitigatingeffortsandpreventivemeasuresshouldbeemployedaswellasriskassessmentandmanagementtopromote
safety. ThefindingsarevitaltoadvisepolicyandpracticeandenhanceawarenessamongpractitionersandinterestedpartiesinKenyaand
also inotherdestinationswithsimilarconditions,terrains,andchallenges.
Description
article
Keywords
outdoor adventure, injuries, illnesses, near-miss, non-medical, risks
Citation
Wachira, Lucy Joy; Muthomi, Helen Nkatha; and Ooko, Willy Shikuku (2021) "Outdoor Adventure Practice in Kenya: Injuries, Illnesses, Non-Medical Concerns, and Evacuation Profiles on Mt. Kenya," Journal of Human Performance in Extreme Environments: Vol. 16 : Iss. 1, Article 3. DOI: 10.7771/2327-2937.1137