health

Frostbite is most likely to occur among soldiers, people who work outdoors
in cold weather, mountain climbers, skiers and other winter sports
participants, homeless people, travelers stranded outside in cold weather,
and people who live close to the polar regions. In a few cases frostbite is
caused by industrial accidents, when workers who must handle liquid
nitrogen or other liquefied gases fail to protect their hands or use proper
safety equipment. It is estimated that frostbite in North America and
northern Europe causes 2.5 hospital admissions per 100,000 people. The
true rate is unknown because there is no standardized reporting system
for this disorder.
Most frostbite victims are male, but this ratio is thought to reflect
occupational choices and interest in outdoor sports rather than a genetic
factor.
According to U.S. military statistics, African American male soldiers
are four times as likely and African American female soldiers 2.2 times as
likely to suffer frostbite as their Caucasian counterparts. Other ethnic
and racial groups from warmer climates are also thought to be more likely
to suffer frostbite. In addition to race, certain diseases, including diabetes,
thyroid disorders, arthritis, and some infections increase a person’s
risk of developing frostbite during exposure to cold.
Most frostbite victims are middle-aged adults between the ages of
thirty-five and fifty; one study found the average age of patients treated
for frostbite was forty-one.