Injury Ambulance Attendances Among Child Visitors to Queensland, Australia: A Descriptive Study, 2009–2018

Background

Queensland, Australia, is a popular tourist destination particularly for families and is renowned for its beaches, natural attractions, and exotic flora and fauna. While travelling with children can be an exciting and rewarding experience, it also exposes families to a range of injury risks associated with unfamiliar settings, recreational activities and environmental hazards.

Methods

Data were extracted from Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) records for injury-related cases involving non-Queensland residents aged ≤15 years attended between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2018. Ambulance pick-up location coordinates were used as a proxy for injury location. Geospatial analysis was conducted, and chi-square tests examined differences between visitor groups by age, sex, and injury characteristics.

Results