Seasonal variation in orthopedic health services utilization in Switzerland: The impact of winter sport tourism

Abstract

Background: Climate-or holiday-related seasonality in hospital admission rates is well known for many diseases. However, little research has addressed the impact of tourism on seasonality in admission rates. We therefore investigated the influence of tourism on emergency admission rates in Switzerland, where winter and summer leisure sport activities in large mountain regions can generate orthopedic injuries.

Surgical risks associated with winter sport tourism

“…Since the 1970s, their incidence has dropped by half while upper extremity fractures and knees sprains became the most common injury types [29,30]. Our results are consistent with previous studies evidencing an increase in the volume of orthopaedic procedures performed during winter around ski resorts [5,6,8,9,10,11,31,32]. The observed peak in emergency admissions for open surgery was primarily associated with tourist populations.…”

“…This difference-in-differences analysis compared the change in outcome depending on seasons and areas and allowed us to account for seasonal and geographical unmeasured variations. First a control season (April, May, October and November) [6] without mass tourism in France was defined. Second, geographical areas with significant increasing volume of stays during winter were identified.…”

“…A difference-in-differences study design was employed to evaluate whether emergency case volume increases associated with mass tourism in winter (December, January, February and March) had an effect on surgical outcomes [6,17,18]. This difference-in-differences analysis compared the change in outcome depending on seasons and areas and allowed us to account for seasonal and geographical unmeasured variations.…”

“…Mass tourism in mountainous areas is associated with the accumulation of people experiencing trauma caused by winter sport activities [2,3,4,5]. Such clustering of injuries can lead to increased emergency admissions at hospitals due to influxes of patients requiring acute surgical-primarily orthopedic-care [6].…”

To Wear a Helmet When Air boarding?

“…In the hospitals that serve the central European alps winter is frequently a time of increased trauma-load [1] due to snow-sports accidents. Extremity and the skull and face are the most common areas to be injured.…”