Beyond Surveillance toward Prevention of Injury and Illness at Camps

Camps have a long history of contributing to positive developmental outcomes for campers and staff. When illness or injury occurs at camp, however, the positive outcomes of the experience can be diminished. Therefore, surveillance and prevention are essential. This national study of camps provided a benchmark for assessing adverse risk factors at camp. The findings have resulted in initial steps to develop training materials to lower the incidence of injury and illness. Other opportunities that might be considered to further the value of surveillance studies might include: continuing to monitor staff as well as campers, assessing the severity of injuries, developing additional training modules, facilitating data collection and analyses in individual camps, exploring the influence of demographics and accreditation, and developing systems to monitor mental and emotional health in camps.