{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,19]],"date-time":"2026-09-19T18:09:11Z","timestamp":1789841351580,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789603200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Wilderness &amp; Environmental Medicine"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The purpose of this study was to characterize the demographic and experiential profiles of backcountry users involved in human-triggered avalanches in Utah and determine whether specific demographic groups are disproportionately represented compared with the general backcountry population.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>We conducted a 5-y retrospective cross-sectional analysis (October 1, 2020\u2013April 4, 2025) of 489 individuals who self-reported involvement in a human-triggered avalanche through the Utah Avalanche Center observation system. Demographics, experience level, and backcountry usage were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Indirect standardization was performed against a reference survey of 361 Utah backcountry users to calculate standardized incidence ratios (SIRs). A multivariable logistic regression model estimated adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for avalanche involvement.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Most respondents were male (91.6%) and aged 31 to 40 y (31.1%). Advanced (41.5%) and expert (14.5%) users comprised the majority of respondents. Males were significantly overrepresented compared with the reference population, particularly those aged 41 to 50 y (SIR=1.63) and 31 to 40 y (SIR=1.41), whereas females were underrepresented across all strata (\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">\u03c7<\/jats:italic>\n                      <jats:sup>2<\/jats:sup>\n                      =114.8;\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">P<\/jats:italic>\n                      &lt;0.001). Advanced (aOR=5.80; 95% CI 3.17\u201310.62) and expert users (aOR=6.04; 95% CI 2.89\u201312.62) had markedly higher odds of avalanche involvement than beginners. Age \u226551 y was protective (aOR=0.38; 95% CI 0.23\u20130.61). Self-reported experience correlated moderately with usage intensity (\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">\u03c1<\/jats:italic>\n                      =0.53;\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">P<\/jats:italic>\n                      &lt;0.001).\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Avalanche involvement in Utah disproportionately affects experienced male backcountry users compared with novices. These findings suggest that exposure and human factors among advanced users may contribute substantially to avalanche risk and support the development of targeted interventions beyond traditional beginner-focused education.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1177\/10806032261485262","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,18]],"date-time":"2026-09-18T03:27:28Z","timestamp":1789702048000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Buried Truths: A Retrospective Analysis of Post-Avalanche Accident Reports"],"prefix":"10.1177","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-9733-7674","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sarah","family":"Petelinsek","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Michael","family":"Morgan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Utah"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rowan","family":"Kelner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Utah"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nikki","family":"Champion","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Utah Avalanche Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jamal","family":"Jones","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Utah"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Patrick G.","family":"Hughes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Utah Avalanche Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_2_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wem.2023.05.014"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_3_2","volume-title":"Avalanche Fatalities in the United States: Annual Report 2024\u20132025","author":"Utah Avalanche Center","year":"2025","unstructured":"Utah Avalanche Center. Avalanche Fatalities in the United States: Annual Report 2024\u20132025. Utah Avalanche Center; 2025."},{"issue":"1","key":"e_1_3_2_4_2","first-page":"45","article-title":"Decision making and risk perception in avalanche terrain: behavioral influences on backcountry travel","volume":"36","author":"Hetland A","year":"2025","unstructured":"Hetland A, Haegeli P, Mannberg A. Decision making and risk perception in avalanche terrain: behavioral influences on backcountry travel. Wilderness Environ Med. 2025;36(1):45-54.","journal-title":"Wilderness Environ Med"},{"issue":"4","key":"e_1_3_2_5_2","first-page":"412","article-title":"Human factors in avalanche accidents: the role of experience, risk tolerance, and group dynamics","volume":"34","author":"Lane S","year":"2023","unstructured":"Lane S, McIntosh SE. Human factors in avalanche accidents: the role of experience, risk tolerance, and group dynamics. Wilderness Environ Med. 2023;34(4):412-420.","journal-title":"Wilderness Environ Med"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_6_2","first-page":"103819","article-title":"Avalanche education and risk perception: does training influence backcountry behavior?","volume":"210","author":"Greene E","year":"2025","unstructured":"Greene E, Atkins D, Birkeland K. Avalanche education and risk perception: does training influence backcountry behavior? Cold Reg Sci Technol. 2025;210:103819.","journal-title":"Cold Reg Sci Technol"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_7_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18189496"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_8_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jekich BM Drake BD Nacht JY Nichols A Ginde AA Davis CB. Avalanche fatalities in the United States: a change in demographics. Wilderness Environ Med. 2016:27(1):46-52.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wem.2015.11.004"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_9_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Spencer J Ashley WS. Avalanche fatalities in the western United States: a comparison of three databases. Nat Hazards. 2011;58(1)38-41.","DOI":"10.1007\/s11069-010-9641-3"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_10_2","unstructured":"Furman et al. Influences on backcountry recreationists\u2019 risk of exposure to avalanche hazards. Leisure Sciences."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_11_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hetland A Hetland RA Skille TT Mannberg A. Review article: A scoping review of human factors in avalanche decision-making\u201d. Nat Hazards Earth Syst Sci. 2025;25(3):929-948.","DOI":"10.5194\/nhess-25-929-2025"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_12_2","unstructured":"Atkins D McCammon I. Differences between avalanche experts and novices. In: Elder K ed. Proceedings of the 2004 International Snow Science Workshop; Jackson Hole WY: International Snow Science Workshop; 2004:452-461."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_13_2","first-page":"100450","article-title":"Gendered perceptions of competence and risk in mountain environments","volume":"36","author":"Giacona F","year":"2021","unstructured":"Giacona F, Guyon A. Gendered perceptions of competence and risk in mountain environments. J Outdoor Recreat Tour. 2021;36:100450.","journal-title":"J Outdoor Recreat Tour"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_14_2","article-title":"Do I really belong here? An exploration of Impostor syndrome in backcountry users","author":"Petelinsek S","unstructured":"Petelinsek S, Kelner R, Champion N, Mahoney K, Zhang P, Hughes PG. Do I really belong here? An exploration of Impostor syndrome in backcountry users. Wilderness Environ Med. 2026;37(3):350\u2013359.","journal-title":"Wilderness Environ Med"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_15_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0225735"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_16_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/JSM.0b013e3181fc0a6d"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_17_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/01490400.2022.2062075"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_18_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/10806032251334298"}],"container-title":["Wilderness &amp; Environmental Medicine"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/10806032261485262","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/10806032261485262","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/10806032261485262","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,19]],"date-time":"2026-09-19T17:47:47Z","timestamp":1789840067000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/10806032261485262"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]]},"references-count":17,"alternative-id":["10.1177\/10806032261485262"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/10806032261485262","relation":{},"ISSN":["1080-6032","1545-1534"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1080-6032","type":"print"},{"value":"1545-1534","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]]},"article-number":"10806032261485262"}}