title: Tap-water scald burns. Awareness is not the problem.
abstract: Review of admissions to a regional burn center showed that tap-water burns were an injury of pediatric, elderly, and neurologically impaired patients. A study was designed to measure general knowledge of tap-water injury and awareness of tap-water temperatures in homes. All those surveyed realized the potential for tap-water scald burns in their homes, and few believed that they could tolerate hot-only tap water at home for as long as 30 seconds. Respondents who had previous experience with tap-water burns had not lowered the settings of their water-heater thermostats. Economical but effective programs must be developed to encourage burn-reduction behaviors in high-risk groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas 75235-9031.
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Purdue
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hunt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002056:Burns / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D004522:Educational Status; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D008393:Marriage; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014881:Water Supply