The document analyzes patient presentation data from multiple music festivals in Australia to understand health risks. Over 1500 presentations were coded into injury, illness, environmental, and mental health categories. Injury and illness accounted for the majority of presentations. Drug and alcohol were also common. Comparing festivals in different states found similar trends of injury and illness being the primary reasons for treatment. The analysis provides quantitative evidence to inform health promotion strategies and medical planning at music festivals.

1. Understanding and identifying
potential risks for participants at
music festivals
Ally Hutton
Jamie Ranse
Paul Arbon

2. Aim
• To understand the nature of patient
presentations at outdoor music festivals around
Australia
– Develop health promotion
strategies
– Effective planning of on
site services.

3. Background
• Music festivals (MF)
produce a higher rate of
injury than other types of
Mass Gatherings
• Australian MF bounded,
and have on-site care
facilities
• Past; single events are
written up – difficult to
generalise to other events

4. Method
• De-identified OB12s from NSW, SA,
VIC and QLD
• Entered into a Database
Presentation Individual
Reason Description
Casualty Time Duration of for
Code Date No Time In Out Treatment Birthday Age Gender Event
QLDPL 25/09/2010 1 20:10:00 20:23:00 0:13:00 2/04/1974 36 2 Ill in stomach, had not eaten, Dehydration?
QLDPL 25/09/2010 2 20:05:00 20:20:00 0:15:00 3/12/1986 23 1 Not eaten, sweaty, blurred vision
QLDPL 25/09/2010 3 15:25:00 15:37:00 0:12:00 23/09/1991 19 1 Old injury -index finger
QLDPL 25/09/2010 4 15:55:00 15:57:00 0:02:00 23/09/1991 19 1 Old injury - index finger
Abrasion on knee. Been drinking.
QLDPL 25/09/2010 5 17:03:00 17:16:00 0:13:00 23/02/1989 21 1 Treated with saline, gauze & micro tape
QLDPL 25/09/2010 6 15:38:00 15:39:00 0:01:00 Unknown Unknown 2 Headache. Requested Paracetamol
Difficulty balancing. Spinning head.
QLDPL 25/09/2010 7 14:10:00 16:15:00 2:05:00 2/01/1990 20 1 Suspected intoxication
3 vodka Red Bulls. Felt unwell.
QLDPL 25/09/2010 8 17:03:00 17:16:00 0:13:00 3/05/1986 24 1 Possible food poisoning. Rest & reassurance

5. Coding
(1) Arbon, Bridgewater & Smith
– Cardiac (non arrest)
– Cardiac
– Respiratory (Nonasthma)
– Asthma
– Heat Related Illness
– Laceration
– Fracture
– Drug and Alcohol Related
– Minor Injury
– Minor Problem
– Other

6. Coding – (2) Data Dictionary
• Injury
• Illness
• Environmental
• Mental Health

7. Data - Gender
1181

8. Presentations across 3 states
1198

9. Data Dictionary
1575
1128 617
21

10. DD Injuries - %

11. DD- Illness - %

12. DD – Environmental - %

13. DD – Outcomes - %

14. Across events
• Park Life (QLD & VIC)
• Future Music (QLD &
VIC)
• BDO (SA & VIC)

15. Park Life
Park Life Data Dictionary: Raw Data Park Life Data Dictionary: Overall
19.42% 21.58%
80.00
Number of Patient
60.00
Presentations
40.00
Injury
20.00 QLDPL
0.00 Illness
VICPL
Environmental
y
lth
l
s
ta
r
es
ju
ea
en
Illn
In
lH Mental Health
nm
ta
ir o
en
v
M
En
Type of Patient Presentation
58.99%
Park Life Data Dictionary: Overall
Percentage of Patient
Presentations (5)
70.00
60.00
50.00
40.00
30.00
20.00
10.00
0.00
Inj ury Il l nes s Envi ronmenta l Menta l Heal th
Type of Patient Presentation

16. Future Music
Future Music Data Dictionary: Raw Future Music Data Dictionary:
Data Overall
2.58%
60
26.18% Injury
35.19%
Number of Patient
40 Illness
Presentations
QLDFM
20 Environmental
VICFM
Mental Health
0
Injury Illness EnvironmentalMental Health
Type of Patient Presentation
36.05%
Future Music Data Dictionary:
Overall
Presentations (%)
40.00
Percentage of
30.00
Patient
20.00
10.00
0.00
Injury Ill ness Envi ronmental Mental Heal th
Type of Patient Presentation

17. Big Day Out
Big Day Out Data Dictionary: Raw Big Day Out Data Dictionary: Overall
Data 12.57%
0.53%
24.60%
300
Injury
Number of Patient
200
Presentations
100 Illness
SABDO
0
Environmental
VICBDO
y
s
Mental Health
.. .
r
es
ju
..
lH
Illn
n.
In
ta
ir o
en
v
En
M
Type of Patient Presentation
62.30%
Big Day Out Data Dictionary: Overall
Percentage of Patient
70.00
Presentations (%)
60.00
50.00
40.00
30.00
20.00
10.00
0.00
Injury Il lness Envi ronmental Mental Heal th
Type of Patient Presentation

18. What does it mean?
• Categories of presentations are general;
- give us an insight into the various ways
people are presenting at these events
• What is known anecdotally is confirmed
through quantitative data
• Gives us a platform for further research
• Data from single events confirmed across the
4 states
– Illness and injury the main presentations
– Followed by drug and alcohol