"Ross River virus affects more than 6,000 Australians every year. If we can find a way to prevent the virus surviving in mosquitoes we can stop it infecting humans.”10 June: As the ski season gets underway, safety on the slopes is the topic of a research seminar at the University of Canberra TODAY.
The research profiling snowsport injuries in the Snowy Mountains suggests the possible impact on tourism was reason in itself to make snow safety a priority. The Australian snowsport industry is worth an estimated $1 billion dollars a year.
“One barrier to participation in snowsports is that potential participants may perceive snowsports as dangerous and they fear being injured,” Dr Tracey Dickson of the University’s Centre for Tourism said. “However, overseas research indicates that the risk of injury is actually less than in many other familiar sports such as soccer.”
“Those who suffer injuries may not return to snowsport and it is easier to keep the dedicated participants than recruit new ones!,” Dr Dickson said. “There are many small steps that can be taken to decrease the risk of injury, particularly for new participants”.
Together with colleagues from several medical practices in the Snowy Mountains, Dr Dickson explored snowsport-related injuries in participants aged 18 and older over a 31 day period during the 2006 ski season.
The research found contributing factors to injuries included equipment, environment and people, with 73.2 percent of people wearing no protective equipment while participating. Skiers had the highest proportion who did not wear any protective equipment (78.8 percent), while snowboarders were most likely to wear helmets (18.8 percent).
Another intriguing find was that 14.6 percent of all reported injuries were to people who did not wear their glasses or contacts for distance vision.
Dr Dickson is available for interview.
WHAT: Profiling Australian Snowsport Injuries: A snapshot from the Snowy Mountains, a combined Healthpact Research Centre for Health Promotion and Wellbeing and Centre for Tourism Research seminar
WHEN: 11 June, 1.30-2.30pm
WHERE: University of Canberra, Building 6, room 6C36
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