- Author
- Surveys and Research Corporation
- Title
- Evaluation of Available Data on Injuries Received From Clothing Burns.
- Coporate
- Surveys and Research Corp., Washington, DC
- Keywords
- clothing burns | evaluation | injuries | burns (injuries) | statistics
- Identifiers
- PHS injury surveillance study; National Burn Information Exchange; National Fire Protection Association single-fatality fire study, 1968; PHS national health survey and other sources; evaluation of quantity-quality aspects of data; data gaps; injury control program; injury surveillance record; Public Health Service
- Abstract
- Much governmental and public attention has been given to the presumption of high rates of mortality and morbidity resulting from injuries allegedly received from clothing burns. However, the determination of the relationship of specific types of clothing fabric, contaminants and burns arising essentially from other agents to the incidence of burn injuries has been made difficult by the lack of definitive information and appropriate statistics. It has been the aim of this investigation to make a preliminary examination of the current state of data availability relating burn injuries to fabric type, contaminants and sources of fire and to assess the capacity of current and planned data collection programs to produce revealing data. Another objective was to make a determination of the quantity and quality of data being currently generated so that a program could be developed to provide meaningful national data on injuries received form clothing burns invovling man-made fibers. This report evaluates the current status of data collection in this area, and presents conclusions as to the adequacy and relevance of the data being collected. Recommendations are made for a project to collect and process data based on a national sample designed to yield specific information on the incidence of burn injuries involving materials containing man-made fibers.