Sivam A, Rochette LM, Smith GA. Am. J. Emerg. Med. 2013; 31(11): 1571-1577.
Affiliation
Center for Injury Research and Policy, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA; Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
BACKGROUND: Household stoves are a common source of injury in the United States.
PURPOSE: To investigate the epidemiology of stove-related injuries.
METHODS: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database was used to analyze cases of nonfatal stove-related injuries treated in US hospital emergency departments (EDs) from 1990 through 2010.
RESULTS: An estimated 910696 (95% CI, 789279-1032113) individuals were treated for stove-related injuries during the 21-year study period, yielding an average of 43366 injured persons annually or 5 injuries every hour. The number (m = -252.85; P = .033) and rate (m = -0.026; P < .001) of injured individuals significantly decreased during the study. Injuries were highest in 1991 (50656 cases; 2.0 per 10000) and lowest in 2005 (38669 cases; 1.31 per 10000), although there was an increase in 2010 (48990 cases; 1.58 per 10000). Patients ≤19 years experienced 41.3% of stove-related injuries. The primary mechanism of injury was contact with stove parts (37.5%). The body region most commonly injured was the hand (44.6%), and a thermal burn was the most common diagnosis (51.8%). The majority (94.4%) of patients were treated and released from the ED. Patients >60 years of age were 3.85 (95% CI, 2.97-4.98) times more likely to be admitted to the hospital than younger patients.
CONCLUSIONS: This is the first comprehensive study of stove-related injuries in the United States using a nationally representative sample. Strategies to prevent stove-related injuries should address the multiple mechanisms of injury.