Objective: To describe the resources for medical condition management in mountain huts and the epidemiology of such events.
Methods: We conducted a 3-step study from April 2013 to August 2014 in French mountain huts. The first step consisted of collecting data regarding the first aid equipment available in mountain huts. The second step consisted of a qualitative evaluation of the mountain hut guardian's role in medical situations through semistructured interviews. Finally, a prospective observational study was conducted in the summer season to collect all medical events (MEs) that occurred during that period.
Results: Out of 164 hut guardians, 141 (86%) had a basic life support diploma. An automatic external defibrillator was available in 41 (26%) huts, and 148 huts (98%) were equipped with a first aid kit. According to semistructured interviews, hut guardians played a valuable role in first aid assistance. Regarding the observational study, 306 people requested the hut guardian's help for medical reasons in 87 of the 126 huts included. A total of 501 MEs for approximately 56,000 hikers (0.85%) were reported, with 280 MEs (56%) involving medical pathologies and 221 (44%) MEs involving trauma-related injuries.
Conclusions: MEs had low prevalence, but the hut guardian played a valuable role as a first aid responder.
Keywords: first aid; hut guardian; mountain emergency medicine; mountain hut; wilderness medicine.
Copyright © 2016 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.