Abstract
The aim of the current study was to analyze the circumstances behind battery injuries, including the mode of injuries experienced (e.g., a shock or consumption), as well as the battery types and products most frequently involved in battery injuries. The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), a probability sample of US hospitals that collects information from emergency room (ER) visits related to a consumer product, was utilized. Injury data from the NEISS database was coded to identify a) the accident mode that led to the injury, b) the battery type involved, and c) the product that was powered by the battery or charger, if available. The data revealed that battery-related injuries were most often associated with (1) children consuming button cell batteries associated with toys and other household objects, and (2) adults becoming burned when handling vehicle batteries. Surprisingly, injuries associated with rechargeable batteries were the least frequent; however, when burns occurred, they were predominantly related to e- cigarettes, as well as vehicles. Results are discussed in terms of general exposure to specific battery types and products analyzing these battery types within each age group.
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