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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: This study examines firework-associated head and neck injuries in the United States from 2008 to 2017 obtained from a single epidemiology source.
METHODS: The National Electronic Surveillance System was used to collect epidemiologic data and retrospectively analyze firework-associated injuries from 2008 to 2017. Injury types included burns, concussions, contusions, foreign bodies, hematomas, internal organ injury, lacerations, and puncture wounds. 431 individuals were originally included, however, 14 participants were excluded due to inadequate injury information. Chi-squared analyses were performed between the following categorical variables: gender versus body part injured, patient age versus injury type, and patient age versus body part injured.
RESULTS: 417 injuries to the head and neck (67.4% male, 32.6% female) were treated in National Electronic Surveillance System-reporting emergency departments during the 10-year period. 69% of the injuries occurred in July. Body parts injured included the ear (10.6%), face (61.6%), head (13.0%), mouth (4.8%), and neck (10.0%). Chi-squared analysis demonstrated an association between gender and body part injured (p=0.0001). Patient age (p=0.066) was independent of injury type. Children aged 0-12 years had the highest probability of being injured (40.2%), then adults 22+ (33.1%) and adolescents 13-21 years (26.9%).
CONCLUSIONS: Given that the preponderance of injuries caused by fireworks occurred primarily in minors, pediatricians should screen for any household firework use during the anticipatory guidance portion of well-child checks, which we believe would improve patient safety and decrease injury rates.
Language: en |