A limited study by a Maryland ER doc found that visits to hospital emergency rooms rises dramatically after televised sporting events.
University of Maryland emergency physician David Jerrard tracked nearly 800 regular season college and professional football, baseball and basketball games in the state over three years and found there always was an increase in the number of men who checked into emergency rooms after these events.
Jerrard’s study, to be presented on Sunday at the annual meeting of the American College of Emergency Physicians Research Forum in New Orleans, showed about 50 percent more men registered in emergency rooms after a football game than during the event itself. Thirty to 40 percent more men sought care following a baseball game.
Of course, the causation could be reversed: It may be that the stress of watching the big game sends men to the ER. But it would hardly be shocking if me, caught up in a big game involving one of “their” teams, ignored minor symptoms and postponed their trip to the hospital.
“Men should not risk their health by putting off going to the emergency room because they want to see the final results of a football game. It could be the last game they ever see,” Jerrard said.
Indeed. That’s what TiVo’s for.
