Abstract
BackgroundPrevention and treatment of medical issues are the main task of a health service at a youth camp. However, only few reports about organisation and implementation of camp health care are available. This makes it difficult for future camp directors to plan and estimate the health care needed for a certain camp size. We summarize the experience in planning and running health care for the 22nd World Scout Jamboree (WSJ) 2011 in Sweden.MethodsDuring the WSJ, 40,061 participants from 146 nations were gathered in southern Sweden to a 12 day summer camp. Another 31,645 people were visitors. Members for the medical service were 153 volunteering medical professionals with different language and cultural backgrounds from 18 different countries.ResultsOf 40,061 participants 2,893 (7.3%) needed medical assistance. We found an equal distribution of cases to approximately one third surgical, one third medical and one third unspecified cases. Much energy was spent on health prevention, hygiene measures and organizing of psychological support.ConclusionsA youth camp with a multicultural population and a size of a small city demands flexible staff with high communication skills. Special attention should be paid in prevention of contagious diseases and taking care of psychological issues.
Highlights
Prevention and treatment of medical issues are the main task of a health service at a youth camp
The body of research regarding camp experience is expanding since the last decade which has led to an improved understanding of the values in these activities [2]
In this article we summarize the experiences in planning and running health care for the 22nd World Scout Jamboree (WSJ) 2011 in Sweden
Summary
Prevention and treatment of medical issues are the main task of a health service at a youth camp. Only few reports about organisation and implementation of camp health care are available. When Sir Baden-Powell initiated the scout movement, camping and outdoor experience became an important part in youth education [1]. Camping itself provides a unique platform for youth development that is different from experiences that youth gather at school or at home. A camp experience improves positive youth development including self-esteem, peer relationships, independence, leadership and social competence [3]. It is a requirement that sufficient health service is provided at larger camp sites. Health service should be provided at camps, especially in the field where participants are disabled or have special needs [5,6]. Outbreaks of infectious diseases during camps are related to the amount of people living together in provisional housing or by environmental exposure to a pathogen [7,8]
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