Preventable Burns from Domestic Tap Water

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Burn Prevention
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Tap water scalds from domestic sources cause severe injuries, with significant morbidity and economic impact.
• Despite preventative measures like public education and legislative temperature restrictions, tap water scalds remain a persistent problem.
• Previous research identified age (very young or elderly) and disabilities as key risk factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify patient groups at risk for tap water scald injuries.
• To determine if the at-risk demographics for tap water scalds have changed recently.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective observational study was conducted.
• Data were collected from patients admitted with tap water scalds to a regional burn unit between October 2016 and September 2020.
• Patient demographics and injury characteristics were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Twenty-three patients were included, with an incidence of 5.75 cases per year (5.1% of all inpatient scalds).
• The majority of admissions (65.2%) were children under 5 or adults over 65.
• A significant proportion of patients had pre-existing disabilities: 26.1% mental and 30.4% physical.

Conclusions:

• Tap water scalds are preventable injuries that continue to affect diverse age groups.
• The elderly and individuals with physical or mental disabilities represent a substantial proportion of those affected by tap water scalds.
• Further targeted interventions are necessary to reduce the incidence of these injuries.