Hypothermia and Other Cold-Related Morbidity Emergency Department Visits: United States, 1995–2004

OBJECTIVE: Although hypothermia is preventable, little has been published on its epidemiology. This study estimates the incidence of hypothermia and other cold-related morbidity emergency department (ED) visits in the United States. METHODS: We identified hypothermia and other cold-related morbidity ED visits from the 1995- 2004 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (991.6-991.9) or cause-of-injury E-codes (901.0-901.9 and 988.3). RESULTS: In the United States there were an estimated 15 574 (95% CI = 9 103-22 045) hypothermia and other cold-related morbidity ED visits during 1995 to 2004. Compared with other ED patients, those with hypothermia and other cold-related morbidity diagnoses were older (mean age 45 vs 36 years; P = .009) and were more likely to be uninsured (risk ratio [RR] = 2.44; 95% CI = 1.54-3.84). Hypothermia and other cold-related morbidity ED visits required more transfers to critical care units (RR = 6.73; 95% CI = 1.8-25.0) than did other ED visits. CONCLUSIONS: Hypothermia and other cold-related morbidity is a preventable resource-intensive condition that tends to affect the disadvantaged.