For older adults, the majority of burn injuries occur during food preparation, according to a study published in Burns. Most food preparation burn injuries were scald burns due to the handling of hot fluids during cooking, the study authors noted. They evaluated patients aged 65 or older who had been admitted to a regional burn unit. Data from 442 patients was evaluated and analyzed using descriptive analysis. Of patients admitted with a burn injury, 13% were older than 65. In this cohort, 31.2% of burn injuries were due to food preparation activity. Among all burn injuries sustained during food preparation, 75.4% were due to a scald. Additionally, 42.3% of scald burns from food preparation were due to hot fluid spills from a saucepan or kettle, increasing to 73.1% after including burns from hot beverages. Additionally, cooking with hot oil caused 21.2% of scalds during food preparation. “A prevention strategy aiming to make people aware of this finding can help reduce burn injuries in the over 65 age group,” the study authors wrote.
