THE EVALUATION OF IN-FLIGHT MEDICAL CARE ABOARD SELECTED U.S. AIR CARRIERS: 1996 TO 1997

Medical care in-flight and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-mandated medical kit have been studied for many years. This study includes a detailed correlation between in-flight medical care, patient response in-flight, and post-flight follow-up, in an effort to evaluate in-flight medical care delivery on U.S. airlines and re-evaluate the FAA-mandated in-flight medical kit. A survey of five U.S. domestic air carriers from October 1, 1996 to September 30, 1997, showed 1,132 in-flight medical incidents. These airlines accounted for approximately 22% of scheduled US domestic enplanements during the period. There was good overall agreement between in-flight and post-flight diagnoses (70% of cases), and passenger condition improved in a majority of cases (60%), suggesting that in-flight diagnoses were generally accurate and treatment was appropriate. Results indicated that bronchodilator inhalers, oral antihistamines, and non-narcotic analgesics, all of which were obtained from other passengers, were used frequently enough to support a suggestion to include them in the medical kit.

• Record URL:
  http://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2000s/media/00_13.pdf
• 
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/57921
• Corporate Authors:

  Federal Aviation Administration

  Office of Aerospace Medicine, 800 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20591

  University of Oklahoma, Norman

  School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering
  Norman, OK  United States  73069

  MedAire, Incorporated

  80 East Rio Salado Parkway, Suite 610
  Tempe, AZ  United States  85281
• Authors:
  • DeJohn, C A
  • Veronneau, SJH
  • Wolbrink, A M
  • Larcher, J G
  • Smith, D W
  • Garrett, J
• Publication Date: 2000-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 26 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Airlines; Antihistamines; Aviation medicine; Diseases and medical conditions; Injuries; Medical equipment; Medical treatment; Medication; Patients
• Identifier Terms: U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
• Uncontrolled Terms: Medical kits
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00929920
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT/FAA/AM-00/13
• Files: NTL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 11 2002 12:00AM