Sangha Mahaveer S, Baker Michelle, Baldwin Alexander J, Murray Alexandra
Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury, UK.
JPRAS Open. 2024 Jan 24;39:313-320. doi: 10.1016/j.jpra.2024.01.008. eCollection 2024 Mar.
The cost-of-living crisis (CoLC) is an economic climate that the United Kingdom (UK) has been experiencing since late 2021, characterized by an increase in the price of essential goods faster than real-term incomes. Food and fuel poverty has ensued. This study aimed to assess whether the CoLC is associated with an increase in hot water bottle (HWB)-related burns as patients seek alternative heating sources to keep warm.
Records of patients treated for HWB burns between December 2019 and March 2023 were reviewed for patient demographics, burn depth and surface area, patient comorbidities, and patient index of multiple deprivation (IMD). The incidence of admissions, IMD, and severity of injury were compared prior to and during the CoLC using either independent -test or Kruskal-Wallis H test.
Between December 2019 and March 2023, 177 patients were treated for HWB burns, 79 prior to the CoLC, and 98 during. Of the patients, 55 patients were male and 122 females. An independent -test comparing average monthly admissions prior and during the CoLC identified a significant difference ( = 0.042), with a mean increase of 1.85 cases (95% CI: 0.71-3.63). Additionally, a Kruskal-Wallis H test showed statistically significant difference in the number of patients treated for HWB burns between the seasons ( = 0.001). An independent -test comparing average patient IMD prior and during the CoLC identified no difference ( = 0.33).
The increase in HWB burns coincides with the increase in energy costs and general cost of living that has occurred in the UK since October 2021.
生活成本危机（CoLC）是英国自2021年末以来一直经历的一种经济形势，其特点是基本商品价格上涨速度快于实际收入。随之而来的是食品和燃料贫困问题。本研究旨在评估生活成本危机是否与热水袋（HWB）相关烧伤的增加有关，因为患者寻求替代取暖源来保暖。
回顾了2019年12月至2023年3月期间因热水袋烧伤接受治疗的患者记录，以了解患者人口统计学信息、烧伤深度和面积、患者合并症以及患者多重剥夺指数（IMD）。使用独立样本t检验或Kruskal-Wallis H检验比较生活成本危机之前和期间的入院发生率、IMD和损伤严重程度。
2019年12月至2023年3月期间，177例患者因热水袋烧伤接受治疗，其中79例在生活成本危机之前，98例在危机期间。患者中，55例为男性，122例为女性。通过独立样本t检验比较生活成本危机之前和期间的平均每月入院人数，发现存在显著差异（P = 0.042），平均增加1.85例（95%置信区间：0.71 - 3.63）。此外，Kruskal-Wallis H检验显示不同季节因热水袋烧伤接受治疗的患者数量存在统计学显著差异（P = 0.001）。通过独立样本t检验比较生活成本危机之前和期间患者的平均IMD，未发现差异（P = 0.33）。
热水袋烧伤的增加与英国自2021年10月以来能源成本和总体生活成本的增加相吻合
