NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - As more and more Americans have turned to hot tubs for some rest and relaxation, the number of hot tub-related injuries has grown as well, a national study shows.
Between 1990 and 2007, researchers found, emergency-room visits for injuries sustained in a hot tub, whirlpool or spa climbed 160 percent nationwide -- from just over 2,500 per year to more than 6,600 in the last study year.
And while people older than 16 accounted for the majority of such injuries, children were also at risk -- with near-drownings being the most common danger to children younger than age 6.
The findings, reported in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, illustrate the potential risks of a dip in a hot tub, as well as the importance of keeping children away from them.
While the majority of injuries occurred among people older than 16, "children are still at high risk for hot tub-related injuries," senior researcher Dr. Lara McKenzie, of Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, said in a written statement.
"Due to the differing mechanisms of injury and the potential severity of these injuries," she added, "the pediatric population deserves special attention."
In general, experts recommend that children, along with pregnant women and people with certain medical conditions -- such as heart disease and high blood pressure -- avoid hot tubs.
The findings are based on data reported to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission by hospital emergency departments. The researchers considered all injuries that were reportedly linked to a hot tub, whirlpool or spa as being hot tub-related.
From 1990 to 2007, the study found, an estimated 89,597 people were treated for such an injury, with the rate growing over time. Overall, half of the injuries involved slips and falls, while 15 percent involved "hits and scrapes." About 11 percent were due to heat overexposure.
