The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Office of Media Relations
November 15, 1999
Contact: Joy Carter
(205) 934-1676
[email protected]
STUDY FINDS MORE OLDER PEOPLE DIE FROM FIRE
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- A study by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has found that older people have a higher rate of death from fire-related injury than any other age group. Details of the study are published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Researchers looked at fire-related deaths in Alabama over a five-year period and compared fatalities among older people, middle-aged and young people. "We found that older adults, particularly older African Americans, have a strikingly high fire-related mortality rate," says Gerald McGwin, Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology at UAB and lead investigator of the study.
Alabama has a higher than average rate of fire-related deaths among all age groups. "The use of smoke detectors is low among all age groups, but particularly among older people," says McGwin. "And in homes where smoke detectors are present, elderly people may not be able to hear alarms, or may have greater difficulty getting out of the house."
The study also found that fire-related mortality rates are higher in rural areas. "People in rural areas may be less educated about fire safety," says McGwin. "Also, there are more mobile homes in rural areas, and fatality rates are significantly higher for mobile homes than for other types of residential structures. There is also more poverty in rural areas, which may be a factor."
The study was conducted in conjunction with UAB's Injury Control Center, which sponsors a project to distribute smoke detectors throughout rural areas. "But it's not enough to have a smoke detector, we need to educate people on how to maintain the
smoke detectors and how to respond when one alarms," says McGwin. "We also need to educate people about high-risk behaviors, such as smoking in bed or improperly using portable heaters."
Researchers emphasize the need for intervention programs targeting older people. "With the growth of the elderly population, fire-related deaths are likely to increase," says McGwin. "Fire safety messages are directed primarily toward children. We need to educate all age groups about fire safety."
www.uab.edu/news
RSS