What Researchers Did
Researchers retrospectively analyzed seven years of detailed records from a New Zealand recreational diving operator to determine the prevalence of decompression illness and other injuries among customers and staff.
What They Found
Over 97,144 dives by 57,072 divers, 55 injury events were documented, with 31 affecting customers and 24 affecting staff. Four divers required recompression therapy for decompression illness, a prevalence of 0.41 cases per 10,000 dives, and 35 non-diving injuries were recorded, along with one cardiac-related fatality.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients engaging in recreational diving should be aware of the low but present risk of decompression illness and other injuries, including non-diving incidents. Divers should prioritize safety protocols, ensure proper training, and be prepared for potential medical emergencies, even minor ones, during dive excursions.
Canadian Relevance
While this study was conducted in New Zealand, its findings on recreational diving safety are relevant to Canadian divers and dive operators. The prevalence of injuries and decompression illness observed could offer insights applicable to similar diving environments and populations in Canada.
Study Limitations
The study relies on retrospectively collected operator records, which may be subject to reporting biases or incomplete documentation of all incidents.