Fatal wheelchair-related accidents in the United States.
Of the 3.3 of every 1000 persons in the United States who use a wheelchair, an estimated 3.3% per year have a serious wheelchair-related accident. Yet, only isolated case reports of fatal accidents have appeared. To obtain a better estimate of the incidence and nature of fatal accidents, a search was carried out of the death certificate database (1973-1987) of the National Information Clearinghouse of the Consumer Product Safety Commission; 770 wheelchair-related deaths were identified. The majority, 596 persons (77.4%), experienced a fall from their chairs or tipped over. Of 85 deaths (11%) caused by environmental factors, stairs were implicated in 51 (60.0%). Of 48 fatal burns (6.2%), 27 (57.3%) were related to smoking. Asphyxia owing to restraints occurred in 44 persons (5.7%) of all ages and caused 10 of the 17 deaths (58.8%) among persons 1-20 yr old. Wheelchair-related accidental death is uncommon (about 0.2% of serious accidents per year), but some types of accidents appear to be preventable.
Calder
C J
CJ
Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Kirby
R L
RL
D000059:Accidents / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003644:Death Certificates; D004782:Environmental Health; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States; D014910:Wheelchairs