title: Wilderness Medicine.
abstract: Wilderness medicine encompasses prevention and treatment of illness and injury, education and training, emergency medical services, and search and rescue in the wilderness. Although traumatic injuries, including minor injuries, outnumber medical illness as the cause of morbidity in the wilderness, basic understanding of the prevention and management of injury and illness, including recognition, identification, treatment, initial management, and stabilization, is essential, in addition to the ability to facilitate evacuation of affected patients. An important theme throughout wilderness medicine is planning and preparation for the best- and worst-case scenarios, and being ready for the unexpected.
authors.affiliation: Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, 1959 North East Pacific Street, PO Box 356123, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Whitney
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.affiliation: Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, 1959 North East Pacific Street, PO Box 356123, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bright
authors.affiliation: Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, 1959 North East Pacific Street, PO Box 356123, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.affiliation: Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Global Health, University of Washington School of Medicine, 1959 North East Pacific Street, PO Box 356123, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. Electronic address: townesd@u.washington.edu.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Townes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005392:First Aid; D018882:Heat Stress Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000517:prevention & control; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000517:prevention & control; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000517:prevention & control; D011481:Protective Clothing; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069578:Waterborne Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D055813:Wilderness Medicine / Q000193:education; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D013473:Sunscreening Agents
keywords: Evacuation; Injury and illness; Preparation; Prevention and planning; Wilderness medicine