Injury Ambulance Attendances Among Child Visitors to Queensland, Australia: A Descriptive Study, 2009–2018

Background: Queensland, Australia, is a popular tourist destination particularly for families and is renowned for its beaches, natural attractions, and exotic flora and fauna. While travelling with children can be an exciting and rewarding experience, it also exposes families to a range of injury risks associated with unfamiliar settings, recreational activities and environmental hazards. Methods: Data were extracted from Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) records for injury-related cases involving non-Queensland residents aged ≤15 years attended between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2018. Ambulance pick-up location coordinates were used as a proxy for injury location. Geospatial analysis was conducted, and chi-square tests examined differences between visitor groups by age, sex, and injury characteristics. Results: There were 3802 ambulance attendances for injuries in child visitors aged ≤15 years, with interstate visitors accounting for 85.8% of cases. Coastal locations were identified as common locations for injuries in children travelling in Queensland. Falls and transport incidents were the leading injury mechanisms among both visitor groups. Burns were the third leading mechanism of injury for the 0–4-year age group in interstate child visitors. Conclusion: The findings highlight opportunities for targeted injury prevention among child visitors in tourism settings, with particular attention to children aged 0–4 years. Strategies that promote parental supervision and awareness of environmental and activity-related hazards may help reduce injuries during travel.