244564 Severe Medical Outcomes from "Mega-Raves" (Electronic Music Festivals) in Los Angeles County: A Call for Integration of Emergency and Public Health Services?

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Marita Santos, RN, MSN , Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA
Carrie Tayour, MPH , Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA
Benedict Lee, PhD , Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County, Alhambra, CA
Justine Kennedy, MPH , Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA
Stella Fogleman, RN, MSN/MPH, CNS , Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA
Christine Oh, PhD , Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County, Alhambra, CA
Tamara Nichols, MPH, CHES , Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA
Charlotte Nohra, MS , Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA
Cyrus Rangan, MD, FAAP, ACMT , Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA
OBJECTIVES: To determine common drug exposures and reasons for emergency department (ED) presentation from mega-raves, and challenges for substance abuse prevention. BACKGROUND: Rapidly growing culture and popularity of mega-raves and electronic music festivals elevates public health concern about abuse of ecstasy and other drugs, including alcohol. Young adults are poorly educated about harmful effects of easily accessible drugs at raves. Coordination between law enforcement, emergency medical services (EMS), and Public Health can reduce morbidity and mortality from mega-raves METHODS: One-year retrospective case series of four mega-raves in LA County (LAC). LAC Department of Public Health obtained medical records of patients presenting to ED, via self-transport and EMS. Chief complaints, diagnostics, and treatments were extracted and analyzed to determine the primary reasons for ED presentation. RESULTS: Reasons for hospitalization included drug intoxication, ALOC, trauma, seizure, syncope, SOB, and chest pain. Most common drug exposures (lab report or self report) included ecstasy/amphetamine, ethanol, THC, LSD, and cocaine. CONCLUSION: Toxic effects of multiple drugs and ethanol are common among young adults at mega-raves, and are the primary reasons for ED presentation. Inherent challenges in response to mega-raves include: public jurisdiction policies for mega-raves; EMS and ED practices for patient diagnostics, treatment, and surveillance; and Public Health advocacy and interventions regarding substance abuse and prevention for these planned major events, in which drug use and severe medical outcomes are expected. Multidisciplinary task force and integration of regional Public Health services with EMS and law enforcement may reduce serious outcomes from mega-raves.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Advocacy for health and health education
Clinical medicine applied in public health
Epidemiology
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe common reasons for Emergency Department admission from rave events 2. Identify common drug exposures and prevention strategies related to rave events 3. Design an integrated policy of regionalo Emergency Medical Services and Public Health interventions to curtail severe medical outcomes from rave events

Keywords: Substance Abuse, Public Health Policy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I work in the environmental health division in the department of public health and I address health concerns that are caused by environmental exposure or toxic-related agents. I work in a program that deals with disease prevention, environmental and consumer safety. I am collaborating with staff members that oversee programs such as substance abuse prevention and treatment programs.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.