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The Effect of Heat Events on Prehospital and Retrieval Service Utilization in Rural and Remote Areas: A Scoping Review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 November 2021

Elen O’Donnell Open the ORCID record for Elen O’Donnell [Opens in a new window] ,
Bridget Honan Open the ORCID record for Bridget Honan [Opens in a new window] ,
Simon Quilty  and
Rebecca Schultz Open the ORCID record for Rebecca Schultz [Opens in a new window]
Elen O’Donnell
Affiliation:
Rural Generalist Trainee, Ochre Medical Centre, St Helens, Tasmania, Australia
Bridget Honan*
Affiliation:
Emergency and Prehospital and Retrieval Medicine Physician, Central Australian Retrieval Service, Alice Springs, NT, Australia
Simon Quilty
Affiliation:
Senior Staff Specialist and Director of Physician Training, Alice Springs Hospital, Alice Springs, NT, Australia; PhD Candidate, Heat and Health, ANU Research School of Population Health, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Rebecca Schultz
Affiliation:
Clinical Nurse Specialist Research, Alice Springs Hospital, Alice Springs, NT, Australia; Adjunct Lecturer Nursing, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia
*
Bridget Honan, BSc, MBBS, FACEM, MPH Emergency/Prehospital/Retrieval Medicine Physician Central Australian Retrieval Service Alice Springs, NT, Australia0870 E-mail: dr.bridget.honan@gmail.com
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Abstract

Introduction:

It is well-established that heatwaves increase demand for emergency transport in metropolitan areas; however, little is known about the impact of heat events on demand for prehospital retrieval services in rural and remote areas, or how heatwaves are defined in this context.

Inclusion Criteria:

Papers were eligible for inclusion if they reported on the impact of a heat event on the activity of a prehospital and retrieval service in a rural or remote area.

Methods:

A search of PubMed, Cochrane, Science Direct, CINAHL, and Google Scholar databases was undertaken on August 18, 2020 using search terms related to emergency medical transport, extreme heat, and rural or remote. Data relevant to the impact of heat on retrieval service activity were extracted, as well as definitions of extreme heat.

Results:

Two papers were identified, both from Australia. Both found that heat events increased the number of road ambulance call-outs. Both studies used the Excess Heat Factor (EHF) to define heatwave periods of interest.

Conclusions:

This review found almost no primary literature on demand for prehospital retrieval services in rural and remote areas, and no data specifically related to aeromedical transport. The research did recognize the disproportionate impact of heat-related increase in service demand on Australian rural and regional health services. With the effects of climate change already being felt, there is an urgent need for more research and action in this area.

Keywords

ambulancesclimate changeEmergency Medical Servicesextreme heat
Type
Research Report
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 36 , Issue 6 , December 2021 , pp. 782 - 787
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine

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