Epidemiology

Between 2020 and 2021, there were 5003 accident and emergency department attendances due to electric shock in the English National Health Service.[3]

Children aged younger than 6 years are more likely to be injured in a home-related electrical incident than older children.[4][5]​​ Men are injured more than women, probably due to the preponderance of male workers in construction-related industries.

Regional data provide an insight into the global prevalence of electrical injury. In the Calgary Health Region of Canada, 10 cases of severe electrical injury were reported between 1996 and 2002, resulting in an annual incidence of 2.4 per 1 million population.[6] All patients were male; 6 died due to severe electrical trauma, giving rise to a death rate of 1.4 per 1 million population.[6] In Diyarbakir, Türkiye, 126 deaths due to electrocution were reported between 1996 and 2002. Males (69.9%) were more commonly affected than females.[7] In a burn centre in Enugu, Nigeria, 24 people presented with severe electrical injuries between 1995 and 2004, with a male to female ratio of 4.8:1.[8] In Tabriz, Iran, a study of people presenting with severe electrical burns over a 5-year period found that 98% of the 202 people admitted were male.[9] In Shiraz, Iran, 95.3% of people with severe electrical injury were male.[10] The male predominance in all studies highlights the need for effective prevention strategies in occupational-related injuries.

In 2021, there were 152 fatal occupational exposures to electricity in the US and 2380 cases of non-fatal occupational electrical injuries and illnesses involving days away from work.[11][12]

In the US, there are approximately 28 deaths attributed to lightning a year.[13]​

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