title: Awareness of altitude sickness among a sample of trekkers in Nepal.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify awareness of altitude sickness in a sample of trekkers in Nepal and identify strategies for increasing knowledge in that population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-five high-altitude trekkers were surveyed. Demographic data were gathered. Respondents were asked about their experience in high-altitude environments, and they answered clinical-vignette questions designed to test their abilities to recognize and identify treatments for common symptoms of altitude sickness. An altitude-awareness score was generated by tabulating correct answers to questions. Scores were correlated with demographic data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Respondents who scored highest (n = 8) had significantly more experience in high-altitude environments, averaging 5 to 10 years (P < .05), and achieved higher average altitudes on their treks of 5171 m (P < .05) than did low scorers. Respondents with low scores (n = 17) trekked to an average altitude of 4138 m. Seventy-three percent wanted to learn more about altitude sickness, 30% said they would prefer to learn from the Internet, and 27% said they would ask a doctor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that a large population of at-risk high-altitude travelers may be relatively naive to the dangers of altitude sickness. Overall, respondents were interested in learning more about altitude sickness. Physicians and the Internet are the most attractive sources of information for this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Practice, Division of Sports Medicine, Maine Medical Center, Portland, USA. jamesglazer@hotmail.com
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Glazer
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Edgar
authors.forename: Matthew S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Siegel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000531:Altitude; D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009051:Mountaineering; D009390:Nepal; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires