The burden of Finke Desert race-related trauma: A 10-year retrospective descriptive analysis

Abstract

Introduction: The Finke Desert Race is an annual motorsport race (motorbikes, cars and buggies) held in Alice Springs resulting in a significant major trauma burden. This imposes unique challenges in one of the world's most remote healthcare settings.

Objectives: To quantify the volume and characteristics of Finke Desert Race-related trauma presenting to the Alice Springs Hospital.

Design: A retrospective descriptive study was undertaken to review all patients presenting to the Alice Springs Hospital with Finke Desert Race-related trauma over a 10-year period. Information collected included demographic data, injury characteristics, patient disposition and required management.

Findings: Over the 9 years the event was held, 325 patients were admitted to the Alice Springs Hospital. Patients were almost exclusively male (98.8%), with a mean age of 34.75 and residing outside of Alice Springs (82.2%). There were a total of 460 distinct injuries with the clavicle, spine and ribs the three most commonly injured sites. A total of 129 operations were required, of which 19 required retrieval to an interstate centre.

Discussion: Alice Springs is one of the most remote and geographically isolated centres on Earth. This rurality poses unique challenges when trying to coordinate medical and retrieval services, exacerbated for a concentrated, yet highly resource intensive event such as Finke. It has far reaching impacts, placing additional stresses on all aspects of healthcare provision.

Conclusion: This review has quantified the trauma burden of the event for the first time, enabling local and interstate stakeholders' ability to plan an adequate and sustainable response while also enabling the future effectiveness evaluation of recent safety reforms.

Keywords: musculoskeletal health; remote health delivery; rural health; rural services planning; trauma.