DOI: 10.1093/jbcr/irae036.281 ISSN: 1559-047X

738 Electrical Burn Injuries in Occupational and Non-occupational Settings from 2010 to 2021: Cross-sectional Design

Karen P Ayala, Aníbal A Teherán, Luis M Pombo, Ginna P Tocanchon, Carol A Zuluaga-Ortíz, Gabriel Camero-Ramos, Albert A Ávila
  • Rehabilitation
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Surgery

Abstract

Introduction

Burns affect 11 million people worldwide annually. Electrically related burns are renowned for inflicting extensive harm and long-term consequences that can lead to severe illness and fatalities. In occupational and non-occupational settings people may be exposed to electrical burns (EBs), which can lead to functional or anatomical consequences. We identified sociodemographic features related to electrical burns in occupational (EBs-occ) and non-occupational (EBs-non_occ) settings.

Methods

A cross sectional design, using an open dataset of electrical injuries occurred during 2010-2021 period. Sociodemographic features of people injured in EBs-occ and EBs-non_occ were described counts (%), Incidence*million people (I0;95%CI). To identify related factors (age-sex adjusted) with injuries in EBs-occ and EBs-non_occ, we applied a Binary Logistic Regression (aOR).

Results

Over the course of 11 years occurred 1.274 EBs (I0: 2.47;2.34-2.61), 287 EBs-occ (I0: 1.35;1.20-1.51) and 987 EBs-non_occ (I0: 3.25;3.05-3.46). Age median was 31 years, most cases distributed in middle adulthood (52.8%), male (88.1%), and people with high school/technician (42.8%), urban location (73.7%), weekdays (95.3%), and during daytime hours (85.5%). Factors related to EBs-occ were male sex, middle adulthood, high school/technician, and occurred mainly on thursday and daytime hours. Otherwise, EBs-non_occ factors were early childhood, primary school, urban location, and occurred mostly on weekends.

Conclusions

Both occupational and non-occupational settings pose a risk of injuries to individuals in the workplace. We have identified sociodemographic factors related to these injuries in both occupational and non-occupational settings, which could help to avoid damages and long-term complications, especially among vulnerable individuals such as those at an extreme age.

Applicability of Research to Practice

This information could be helpful in refining existing preventive measures, particularly for non-occupational electrical burns.

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