[Large trade clusters as areas of intensified occurrences of states of rapid health worsening in Poland]

Introduction: In the modern world, people gather more increasingly in large clusters such as shopping centres, markets, cinema centres, operas, ferries, liners, recreation areas and resorts. Such clusters predispose to intensified occurrences of states of rapid health worsening and health hazard.

The aim: The main aim is to indicate that in trade space, especially in municipal markets, states of rapid health worsening and health hazard appear, as well as to characterize the individual incidents and types of medical interventions.

Material and methods: The empirical material originates from the sheets of records of first-aid concerning life-saving actions, the nurse work register, as well as the security agency reports. Records of first-aid of events taking place during one selected weekend day, for 6 hours of highest population density, underwent a retrospective analysis. The analysis of the material was carried out in terms of reasons of interventions, in states of rapid health worsening and health hazard, as well as the frequency of calls of medical first-aid service.

Results: During 2011, there were approximately 100 such states in the municipal markets which underwent the study. In shopping centres there were 95% of such states. In each of the three analysed areas, the internal factors responsible for rapid health worsening constitute over 60%. Among interventions caused by a disease, states related to circulatory system and nervous system occurred most frequently. Big municipal market themselves are potential areas of an increased occurrence of states of rapid health worsening and health hazard. They can be compared to religious ceremonies described in the subject bibliography.

Conclusions: Large trade spaces, especially municipal markets in city centres, generate a high risk of occurrences of states of rapid health worsening and health hazard, in comparison to shopping malls. The risk increases with the age of customers. The incidences related to sicknesses are the majority of interventions in trade areas.