Consideration of the Physical and Environmental Factors and the Accident Sites in Case of Patients with Bathing Accidents, Requiring Ambulance Service in Noboribetsu City / 日本温泉気候物理医学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

  Japan has been speculated to have more than 10,000 bathing accidents per year, and the number increases annually. In particular, the number of bathing accidents in the elderly is increasing.<BR>  I investigated the bathing accidents that occurred in Noboribetsu City between April of 2014 and March of 2015 with the full cooperation of the Noboribetsu ambulance service. There were 52 accidents in total; 25 occurred in women with an average age of 64.4±20.5 years, and 27 occurred in men with an average age of 70.7±18.2 years.<BR>  In 11 cases, patients were transported via ambulance because of cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA). Eight of these patients were men, and three were women; 10 of the 11 CPA patients were brought to the hospital during the winter.<BR>  Although I was unable to clearly determine whether alcohol consumption influenced the increase in the number and seriousness of bathing accidents, I do not recommend heavy alcohol consumption because of the additional risk of consciousness disturbance and drowning.<BR>  The number of bathing accidents at the patient’s own home in Noboribetsu City increased significantly (P<0.05) in the winter, and I found no correlation between the season of the year and the number of accidents in public baths in Noboribetsu City and the number of accidents in hotels and inns in Noboribetsu hot springs.