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Risk vs caving experience_
| “Cave descents are connected with risk so…” | < 1 year (N = 1) | 1–5 years (N = 20) | 6–15 years (N = 18) | 16–30 years (N = 11) | > 30 years (N = 7) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | % | N | % | N | % | N | % | N | % | |
| I have no influence on that so I don’t think about it. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5.56 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| I’m aware of that, so I consider carefully every cave descent. Too high risk makes me give up the caving expedition. | 1 | 100 | 10 | 50 | 10 | 55.56 | 5 | 45.45 | 3 | 42.86 |
| I’m aware of that, but it doesn’t influence the decisions which I take, although I try to act sensibly. | 0 | 0 | 9 | 45 | 5 | 27.78 | 6 | 54.55 | 4 | 57.14 |
| I’m aware of that, but I still take the risk. | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 11.11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Time spent practising caving descents by the respondents: overall and by gender_
| Time (years) | Overall (N = 57) | Men (N = 42) | Women (N = 15) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | % | N | % | N | % | |
| <1 | 1 | 1.75 | 1 | 2.38 | 0 | 0 |
| 1–5 | 20 | 35.09 | 13 | 30.95 | 7 | 46.67 |
| 6–15 | 18 | 31.58 | 11 | 26.19 | 7 | 46.67 |
| 16–30 | 11 | 19.30 | 10 | 23.81 | 1 | 6.67 |
| >30 | 7 | 12.28 | 7 | 16.67 | 0 | 0 |
Frequency of cave descents vs caving experience_
| “How long have you been doing cave descents?” | Overall N = 57 | < 1 year N = 1 | 1–5 years N = 20 | 6–15 years N = 18 | 16–30 years N = 11 | > 30 years N = 7 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | % | N | % | N | % | N | % | N | % | N | % | |
| From time to time, irregularly | 14 | 24.56 | 1 | 100 | 3 | 15 | 5 | 27.78 | 2 | 18.18 | 3 | 42.86 |
| Every few years | 3 | 5.26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11.11 | 1 | 9.09 | 0 | 0 |
| Once a year | 9 | 15.79 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 22.22 | 2 | 18.18 | 2 | 28.57 |
| Several times a year | 19 | 33.33 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 60 | 2 | 11.11 | 4 | 36.36 | 1 | 14.28 |
| More than several times a year | 12 | 21.05 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 5 | 27.78 | 2 | 18.18 | 1 | 14.28 |
Risk factors of cave descents – descriptive statistics_
| Risk factors | Descriptive statistics | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode (Mo) | Cardinality | Min. | Max. | |
| I – sudden, unpredictable events | 1 | 30 | 1 | 9 |
| II – lack of one’s own or partners’ experience, or overrating one’s own skills | 2 | 15 | 1 | 10 |
| III – bravado, taking too much risk | 2 | 13 | 1 | 10 |
| IV – panic, loss of control over oneself or group members | 8 | 11 | 1 | 10 |
| V – darkness | multiple | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| VI – water | 6 | 14 | 1 | 8 |
| VII – confined space (possibility to get stuck) | 7 | 17 | 1 | 10 |
| VIII – cold | 4 | 11 | 1 | 8 |
| IX – unknown pathogens, caves’ flora and fauna | 9 | 22 | 4 | 10 |
| X – poisonous gases, lack of oxygen | 10 | 19 | 1 | 10 |
Ranking risk factors in cave descents according to the respondents_
| Position | Risk factors (% respondents, N = 57) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX | X | |
| 1 | 52.63 | 8.77 | 7.02 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 5.26 | 7.02 | 15.79 | 1.75 | 1.75 |
| 2 | 14.04 | 26.32 | 22.81 | 3.51 | 5.26 | 10.53 | 3.51 | 12.28 | 3.51 | 1.75 |
| 3 | 5.26 | 12.28 | 21.05 | 15.79 | 7.02 | 17.54 | 7.02 | 12.28 | 3.51 | 1.75 |
| 4 | 17.54 | 7.02 | 8.77 | 12.28 | 8.77 | 7.02 | 12.28 | 19.30 | 8.77 | 5.26 |
| 5 | 5.26 | 12.28 | 7.02 | 12.28 | 12.28 | 17.54 | 10.53 | 14.04 | 12.28 | 5.26 |
| 6 | 0.00 | 10.53 | 15.79 | 10.53 | 10.53 | 24.56 | 12.28 | 10.53 | 38.60 | 1.75 |
| 7 | 3.51 | 7.02 | 3.51 | 3.51 | 17.54 | 14.04 | 29.82 | 8.77 | 31.58 | 3.51 |
| 8 | 0.00 | 8.77 | 0.00 | 19.30 | 17.54 | 3.51 | 14.04 | 7.02 | 0.00 | 15.79 |
| 9 | 1.75 | 5.26 | 10.53 | 7.02 | 5.26 | 0.00 | 1.75 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 29.82 |
| 10 | 0.00 | 1.75 | 3.51 | 14.04 | 14.04 | 0.00 | 1.75 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 33.33 |
Opinions about relationships between cave descents and tourism_
| “Do you think cave exploration enters the category of tourist phenomena?” | Overall N = 57 | 0–25 N = 5 | 26–35 N = 13 | 36–45 N = 24 | 46–55 N = 11 | ≥ 56 N = 4 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | % | N | % | N | % | N | % | N | % | N | % | |
| I don’t know. | 3 | 5.26 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7.69 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 18.18 | 0 | 0 |
| Yes, completely. | 2 | 3.51 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4.17 | 1 | 9.09 | 0 | 0 |
| Yes, but it depends on the level of difficulty (the easier the descents, the more ‘tourist’ they are). | 24 | 42.11 | 2 | 40 | 6 | 46.15 | 10 | 41.67 | 3 | 27.27 | 3 | 75 |
| No, it’s a lifestyle. | 8 | 14.04 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 23.08 | 3 | 12.50 | 2 | 18.18 | 0 | 0 |
| No, it’s a sport, achievement, competition. | 7 | 12.28 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 7.69 | 4 | 16.67 | 1 | 9.09 | 0 | 0 |
| No, it’s something else. | 13 | 22.81 | 2 | 40 | 2 | 15.38 | 6 | 25.00 | 2 | 18.18 | 1 | 25 |
Selected socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents_
| Characteristics of respondents | Total (N = 57) | Men (N = 42) | Women (N = 15) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | % | N | % | N | % | ||
| Age | 0–25 | 5 | 8.8 | 4 | 9.5 | 1 | 6.7 |
| 26–35 | 13 | 22.8 | 8 | 19.0 | 5 | 33.3 | |
| 36–45 | 24 | 42.1 | 17 | 40.5 | 7 | 46.7 | |
| 46–55 | 11 | 19.3 | 9 | 21.4 | 2 | 13.3 | |
| 56 and above | 4 | 7.0 | 4 | 9.5 | 0 | 0 | |
| Responsibilities towards others | I am not responsible for anyone, only for myself. | 15 | 26.32 | 7 | 16.67 | 8 | 53.33 |
| I am/feel responsible for someone else. | 41 | 71.93 | 34 | 80.95 | 7 | 46.67 | |
| Prefer not to say. | 1 | 1.75 | 1 | 2.38 | 0 | 0 | |
Attitude to risk in practising caving descents_
| “Cave descents are connected to risk.” | Overall (N = 57) | Men (N = 42) | Women (N = 15) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | % | N | % | N | % | |
| I have no influence on that so I don’t think about it. | 1 | 1.75 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 6.67 |
| I’m aware of that, so I consider carefully every cave descent. Too high risk makes me give up the caving expedition. | 29 | 50.88 | 21 | 50.00 | 8 | 53.33 |
| I’m aware of that, but it doesn’t influence the decisions I take, although I try to act sensibly. | 24 | 42.11 | 18 | 42.86 | 6 | 40.00 |
| I’m aware of that, but I still take the risk. | 3 | 5.26 | 3 | 7.14 | 0 | 0.00 |