Recreational drug use presentations during a large outdoor festival event: Reduction in hospital emergency department transfer where medical physicians are present

Abstract

Background: Use of drugs such as 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine hydrochloride, γ‐hydroxybutyric acid, and cocaine at music and outdoor festivals is common. There are no published studies on drug toxicity at festival events celebrating the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans (LGBT) community nor the beneficial effects of physicians in reducing transfer to secondary healthcare facilities.

Methods: Data were collected on presentations to “on-site” St John Ambulance facilities during an outdoor LGBT event where physicians were present (outdoor day event) and then at the subsequent outdoor after party where physicians were not present (outdoor after party).

Results: Of 227 presentations, 204 were during the outdoor day event and 23 during the outdoor after party; Of those during the outdoor day event 27.9% related to drugs and/or ethanol, compared to 47.8% at outdoor after party; 10.6% of presentations were transferred to a secondary healthcare facility; rates were significantly higher during the outdoor after party (39.1%) than the outdoor day event (7.4%).

Conclusion: There appears to be fewer transfers to secondary healthcare facilities during an LGBT outdoor day event where physicians were present. Further studies are needed to determine if other factors contribute to the rates of transfer to secondary healthcare facilities during similar events.

Keywords:

• Recreational drug use
• toxicity
• intervention