Title: Advice on safety management in organizing running events: a systematic review

Abstract

This study aimed to conduct a systematic review of the literature on medical safety guidelines for running events, reporting using the PRISMA checklist. Electronic databases, including PubMed, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, Cochrane, Thai JO, and Google Scholar, were searched from January 2014 to October 2021 using keywords such as “criteria,” “manual,” “standard,” “running event,” “mass sports,” “marathon,” “sudden cardiac arrest,” and “safety.” A total of 24 articles met the inclusion criteria and were assessed for quality. The results were categorized into 12 themes: 1.General guidelines for preventing sudden cardiac death, 2.Understanding symptoms and managing sudden cardiac arrest, 3.Medical equipment preparation, 4.Emergency response planning, 5.Other medical preparedness, 6.Pre-race risk screening of runners, 7.Prompt emergency notification, 8.Traffic management and environmental safety, 9.Post-event reporting and a database of acute myocardial infarction cases, 10.COVID-19 prevention measures, 11.Running advice, and 12.Other relevant technologies. The findings of this study are beneficial for policymakers and stakeholders in applying these guidelines to enhance the safety of running events in Thailand, particularly in reducing the mortality rate or life-threatening conditions among participants.