Abstract
ObjectiveTo synthesise and evaluate the evidence of the effectiveness of interventions to prevent scalds in children. MethodsAn overview of systematic reviews (SR) and a SR of primary studies were performed evaluating interventions to prevent scalds in children. A comprehensive literature search was conducted covering various resources up to October 2012. Experimental and controlled observational studies reporting scald injuries, safety practices and safety equipment use were included. ResultsFourteen systematic reviews and 39 primary studies were included. There is little evidence that interventions are effective in reducing the incidence of scalds in children. More evidence was found that inventions are effective in promoting safe hot tap water temperature, especially when home safety education, home safety checks and discounted or free safety equipment including thermometers and thermostatic mixing valves were provided. No consistent evidence was found for the effectiveness of interventions on the safe handling of hot food or drinks nor improving kitchen safety practices. ConclusionEducation, home safety checks along with thermometers or thermostatic mixing valves should be promoted to reduce tap water scalds. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions on scald injuries and to disentangle the effects of multifaceted interventions on scald injuries and safety practices.
Highlights
Children are at particular risk of thermal injuries
One CBA found no significant effect of a multi-faceted campaign (Hot Water Burns Like Fire) aimed at reducing the occurrence of scalds in children aged 0–4 years on scald prevention behaviours [51]. This overview synthesised the largest number of primary studies evaluating child scald prevention interventions to date
Eligible studies were identified from comprehensive searches of published reviews, electronic databases, conference abstracts and other sources minimising the potential for publication and reporting bias
Summary
Children are at particular risk of thermal injuries. The majority of thermal injuries in the under-fives are scalds [2]. They are important as they can result in long term disability, have lasting psychological consequences and place a large burden on health care resources, with an estimated 19 million disability-adjusted life years lost each year [3]. In the USA between 2003 and 2012, the average cost per hospital stay for scald injuries in the under-fives was between $40,000 and $50,000 [4]. The total cost of treating hot water tap scald injuries to children and adults in England and Wales in 2009 was estimated at £61 million [5]
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