Key result
During the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, 1639 athlete encounters occurred at polyclinics, with 48% due to disease (mostly upper respiratory infections) and 14% due to injuries.
Why the study?
To describe the medical services of two polyclinics at the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games and analyse athlete injuries and illnesses to guide future polyclinic planning for mass gathering events.
Observational (n=1,639)
Yes
During the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, upper respiratory infections and knee injuries were the most common reasons for athlete visits to polyclinics.
Alerts clinicians to high URI burden in winter Olympians; extends observational surveillance but leaves open targeted prevention effects.
OBJECTIVE: This paper aims to describe the medical service of two polyclinics of the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games and to analyse the injury and illness of athletes who visited the polyclinics during the oilympic period in order to provide some insight with respect to the future construction and operation of polyclinics in mass gathering events such as the Olympic Games. METHODS: The PyeongChang Olympic Village was located near the Olympic Stadium for snow sports athletes and the Gangneung Olympic Village was located near the ice venues for ice sports athletes. During the Olympic Games, polyclinics were consisted of emergency service and outpatient clinics. We retrospectively analysed the electronic medical record data of athletes who visiting polyclinics between 9 February 2018 and 25 February 2018. RESULTS: During the Olympics, there were 1639 athlete encounters in both polyclinics. Among those, injuries of athletes were 237 (14% of all athlete encounters) in total, and the most common injured site was knee joint. Upper respiratory infection was the most frequent case in diseases of athlete encounters. Total 223 cases of image study were done, MRI was 44 cases. CONCLUSION: The PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games had the highest number of participants in the history of Winter Olympic Games. Overall 48% of athletes encountered polyclinics due to disease during the Games period. Upper respiratory infection and other seasonal diseases were more frequent this Olympic Games than before. Polyclinics were managed healthcare of athletes as well as injury and illness of athletes. In winter sports, a polyclinic and similar medical facilities should be prepare for diseases considering geography, weather as well as injuries and endemic diseases when planning future mass gathering events.
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Kim et al. (2019) conducted an observational in Injury and illness (n=1,639). Polyclinic medical services was evaluated on Athlete encounters for injury and illness. During the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, 1639 athlete encounters occurred at polyclinics, with 48% due to disease (mostly upper respiratory infections) and 14% due to injuries.
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