title: Injuries associated with bathtubs and showers among children in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal was to describe the epidemiological features of injuries associated with bathtubs and showers, especially those related to slips, trips, and falls, among US children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was performed by using nationally representative data from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission National Electronic Injury Surveillance System from 1990 through 2007 for children <or=18 years of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were an estimated 791 200 bathtub- and shower-related injuries among children <or=18 years of age who were treated in US emergency departments in 1990-2007, with an average of 43 600 cases per year or approximately 5.9 injuries per 10 000 US children per year. The largest number of injuries involved children 2 years of age; children <or=4 years accounted for 54.3% of injuries. The most common diagnosis was laceration (59.5%). The most common mechanism of injury was a slip, trip, or fall, accounting for 81.0% of cases or 4.6 injuries per 10 000 US children per year. The most frequently injured body part was the face (48.0%), followed by the head/neck (15.0%). The majority (71.3%) of injuries occurred in a bathtub. Of the cases with a known place of injury, 97.1% occurred at home. An estimated 2.8% of patients were admitted, transferred to another hospital, or held for observation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study on bathtub- and shower-related injuries using nationally representative data. Slips, trips, and falls in bathtubs and showers are a common cause of injury among children, especially children <or=4 years of age. The incidence of these injuries may be decreased by increasing the coefficient of friction of bathtub and shower surfaces.
authors: The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
authors: Shengyi J
authors: SJ
authors: Mao
authors: Lara B
authors: LB
authors: McKenzie
authors: Huiyun
authors: H
authors: Xiang
authors: Gary A
authors: GA
authors: Smith
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D001494:Baths / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011159:Population Surveillance; D014481:United States; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology