Epidemiology

Inhalation injury may occur during workplace accidents and residential fires, with the latter being far more common. In the UK in 2020, there were four cases of inhalation accidents in the work place, as measured by the Surveillance of Work-Related and Occupational Respiratory Disease (SWORD) group.[4] In the US in 2022, there were 49 fatal occupational inhalational injuries according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.[5]​ The rates of non-fatal occupational inhalational injuries are likely underestimated.[6]

Public servants such as firefighters and police officers are estimated to have much higher rates of non-fatal inhalation injury, largely due to their role as first responders in fires.[7] Approximately 6000-7000 inhalational injuries occur in firefighters every year, although this is likely an underestimate.[8]​ Inhalation injuries tend to occur in workplaces where the workforce is predominantly young and male, and the demographics of injury reflect this.

Overall, fire deaths increased from 2012 to 2022 from 10.5 deaths per million population to 13.3 deaths per million population; but this rate remains lower than in 2000 when there were 14.8 deaths per million population.[9] In 2022, people aged 85 years or older were at greatest risk for fire death in the US (relative risk 3.7); children aged 10-14 years were at lowest risk (relative risk 0.2).[9]​​

The majority of fire-related deaths are believed to be due to respiratory system injury, a strong predictor of mortality among burn patients.[10] 

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