[Carbon monoxide poisoning in the Brussels metropolitan area. Home survey technics and proposals for action].

Abstract

A previous study, preliminary to the organisation of a prevention campaign against carbon monoxide poisoning in Brussels, has confirmed the magnitude of this problem and shown the following two main risk indicators: the "age of the building" and the "nationality of the resident". Therefore, the actions conducted as part of this campaign, were principally focused on run down areas with high concentrations of immigrants. What's more, the possibility has been offered to every diagnosed victim to benefit from a free expertise of his equipment, in order to get a technical diagnosis. The analysis of our data related to all visits conducted from october 87 to april 88 shows that: 1. "resident's nationality" is not a risk factor, strictly speaking. When socio-economic standard is held constant, the risk appears to be identical in all nationalities; 2. most of the victims are underprivileged families; 3. among all apparatuses having been considered responsible for the accidents, around 2/3 are water-heaters; 4. if all kinds of apparatuses are considered, the most frequent faults seems to imply the users' responsibility, lack of maintenance, defective connection with the smoke evacuation system), but for water-heaters, which are responsible for the majority of accidents, the main cause appears to be linked to a defective installation, namely the ventilation of the room not being in accordance with the officials norms.