A prospective study on local cold injuries in northern Sweden

• Published in: International Journal of Circumpolar Health
• Main Authors: Moen, Karolina, Stjernbrandt, Albin
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Umeå universitet, Avdelningen för hållbar hälsa 2022
• Subjects: Cold exposure; cold injury; Sweden; Public Health; Global Health; Social Medicine and Epidemiology; Folkhälsovetenskap; global hälsa; socialmedicin och epidemiologi; Occupational Health and Environmental Health; Arbetsmedicin och miljömedicin; Circumpolar Health; International Journal of Circumpolar Health; Northern Sweden
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-201364; https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2022.2149381

The study aimed to determine the prevalence and incidence proportion of local cold injuries in northern Sweden, and identify associated factors. It was based on prospective data from surveys in 2015 and 2021 sent to a population-based sample in northern Sweden. Multiple binary logistic regression was performed. The study included 5,017 subjects (response rate 44.4%). The prevalence of cold injuries in the hands was 11.4%, feet 12.6%, and face 19.9%, while the incidence proportion was 1.0%, 1.0%, and 0.9%, respectively. Male gender was associated with incident cold injuries in the hands (OR 1.69; 95% CI 1.31–1.28), feet (OR 1.34; 95% CI 1.04–1.73), and face (OR 1.53; 95% CI 1.15–2.03); mental stress with cold injuries in the hands (OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.16–2.05) and feet (OR 1.39; 95% CI 1.04–1.88); previous stroke with cold injuries in the hands (OR 2.64; 95% CI 1.09–6.40) and face (OR 3.09; 95% CI 1.26–7.56); and Raynaud’s phenomenon with cold injuries in the hands (OR 2.48; 95% CI 1.80–3.41) and feet (OR 2.07; 95% CI 1.50–2.87). We conclude that male gender, mental stress, previous stroke, and Raynaud’s phenomenon increased the probability of contracting local cold injuries.