Adekoya Nelson, Nolte Kurt B
Research Scientist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA.
J Environ Health. 2005 May;67(9):45-50, 58.
The objective of the research reported here was to examine the epidemiologic characteristics of struck-by-lightning deaths. Using data from both the National Centers for Health Statistics (NCHS) multiple-cause-of-death tapes and the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), which is maintained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the authors calculated numbers and annualized rates of lightning-related deaths for the United States. They used resident estimates from population microdata files maintained by the Census Bureau as the denominators. Work-related fatality rates were calculated with denominators derived from the Current Population Survey of employment data. Four illustrative investigative case reports of lightning-related deaths were contributed by the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator. It was found that a total of 374 struck-by-lightning deaths had occurred during 1995-2000 (an average annualized rate of 0.23 deaths per million persons). The majority of deaths (286 deaths, 75 percent) were from the South and the Midwest. The numbers of lightning deaths were highest in Florida (49 deaths) and Texas (32 deaths). A total of 129 work-related lightning deaths occurred during 1995-2002 (an average annual rate of 0.12 deaths per million workers). Agriculture and construction industries recorded the most fatalities at 44 and 39 deaths, respectively. Fatal occupational injuries resulting from being struck by lightning were highest in Florida (21 deaths) and Texas (11 deaths). In the two national surveillance systems examined, incidence rates were higher for males and people 20-44 years of age. In conclusion, three of every four struck-by-lightning deaths were from the South and the Midwest, and during 1995-2002, one of every four struck-by-lightning deaths was work-related. Although prevention programs could target the entire nation, interventions might be most effective if directed to regions with the majority of fatalities because they have the majority of lightning strikes per year.
本文所报告的研究目的是调查雷击致死的流行病学特征。作者利用美国国家卫生统计中心（NCHS）的多死因记录磁带数据以及美国劳工统计局维护的致命职业伤害普查（CFOI）数据，计算了美国与雷击相关的死亡人数和年化死亡率。他们将美国人口普查局维护的人口微观数据文件中的居民估计数作为分母。与工作相关的死亡率是根据当前就业人口调查数据得出的分母来计算的。新墨西哥州医学调查办公室提供了4份与雷击相关死亡的典型调查案例报告。研究发现，1995年至2000年期间共发生了374起雷击致死事件（年化平均死亡率为每百万人0.23人死亡）。大多数死亡事件（286例，占75%）发生在南部和中西部地区。雷击死亡人数最多的是佛罗里达州（49例死亡）和得克萨斯州（32例死亡）。1995年至2002年期间共发生了129起与工作相关的雷击死亡事件（年均死亡率为每百万工人0.12人死亡）。农业和建筑业的死亡人数最多，分别为44人和39人。因雷击导致的致命职业伤害在佛罗里达州（21例死亡）和得克萨斯州（11例死亡）最高。在所研究的两个国家监测系统中，男性以及20至44岁人群的发病率较高。总之，每四起雷击致死事件中有三起发生在南部和中西部地区，在1995年至2002年期间，每四起雷击致死事件中有一起与工作相关。尽管预防计划可以面向全国，但如果针对死亡人数最多的地区进行干预可能会最有效，因为这些地区每年的雷击次数最多。
