Citation

Sánchez CA, Thomas KE, Malilay J, Annest JL. Fam. Community Health 2010; 33(1): 3-10.

Affiliation

Health Studies Branch (Dr Sanchez), Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects (Dr Malilay), National Center for Environmental Health, and Division of Injury Response (Dr Thomas) and Office of Statistics and Programming (Dr Annest), National Cen

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/FCH.0b013e3181c4e2fa

PMID

20010000

Abstract

Exposure to adverse natural and environmental events (eg, extreme temperatures and disasters) poses a public health burden when resulting in injuries requiring emergency care. We examined the incidence and characteristics of persons with environmental exposure-related injuries treated in US-based hospital emergency departments during 2001 to 2004 by using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program. An estimated 26 527 (95% CI = 18 664-34 390) injuries were treated annually-78% were heat-related. People with heat-related conditions were men (P < 0.001) and had a median age of 34 years (range = <1 month-94 years). Targeting vulnerable populations in community-wide response measures may reduce injuries from adverse environmental exposures, especially heat.

Language: en