Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Carbon Monoxide Emergency Department Visits

This near real-time data dashboard provides daily updates to the number of emergency department (ED) visits for potential carbon monoxide (CO) exposure at the state and county level so far this year. You can also compare weekly totals going back several years.

Case Reporting

These displays present information on the number and rate of Maine adults who were treated for carbon monoxide poisoning. These data can tell you if a segment of the population (by sex or age) is at higher risk for carbon monoxide poisoning. Explore differences in when people were exposed as well as different sources of carbon monoxide. Compare cases (individuals exposed) to events (households/buildings where multiple people may have been exposed).

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

These displays show the number and percentage of adults ages 18 and older with a carbon monoxide (CO) detector present in their home as reported through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a telephone survey. Survey participants were asked: "A carbon monoxide or CO detector checks the level of carbon monoxide in your home. It is different than a smoke detector. Some CO detectors are part of a combined alarm system that also includes a smoke detector. Do you have a carbon monoxide detector in your home?"

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Data Tables

Create a custom table of data from Case Reporting (cases, exposure events, deaths) or survey results assessing CO Detector use.

Measure Definitions

• Near Real-time Emergency Department Visits

  • Near real-time carbon monoxide (CO) data are from Maine's syndromic surveillance system, which gathers and aggregates data from emergency department visits from hospitals in Maine.
  • Visits are counted as CO-related based on a syndrome definition that uses a combination of keyword searches of a patient's chief complaint along with relevant diagnosis codes. 
  • Visits represent potential CO exposures. CO poisoning data are available under Case Reporting.
  • CO-related visits are analyzed by county of residence (where the patient lives) and county of care (where the patient was treated). Place of residence analyses are restricted to Maine residents, whereas place of care analyses include anyone who was treated at a Maine facility. Sagadahoc county does not have a hospital and does not show on the map when data are shown by place of care.
  • Percentages represent the number of CO-related visits divided by all emergency department visits, which allows for comparisons while accounting for population or utilization differences.  

• Case Reporting: Cases, Events, and Deaths

  • Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning cases are reported to the Maine CDC as mandated under the state's Rules for the Control of Notifiable Diseases and Conditions. The criteria for the reporting of a potential CO poisoning case is defined as 'clinical signs, symptoms, or known exposure consistent with diagnosis of carbon monoxide poisoning and/or; a carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level >=5%'. 
  • CO poisoning cases are defined using similar criteria detailed in the CSTE Position Statement 13-EH-01. Maine reviews healthcare information to assist in accurately defining CO poisoning cases.
  • Only data that are determined to be unintentional and not related to a fire are presented.
  • A case refers to the individual. A CO poisoning event can include one or more cases and is based on the source of CO exposure. For example, if one generator exposed 4 individuals in a house this would be one event and 4 cases. Analyses of events and deaths is only presented as counts (Number).
  • CO poisoning deaths are defined as any death certificate with 'Toxic effects of carbon monoxide' listed as either the cause of death or a contributing factor.

• Carbon Monoxide Detector Access

  • Carbon monoxide (CO) detector data are from the Maine Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a random-digit-dial telephone survey of non-institutionalized Maine adults ages 18 years and older. Estimates are based on a positive response to the question "A carbon monoxide or CO detector checks the level of carbon monoxide in your home. It is different than a smoke detector. Do you have a carbon monoxide detector in your home?"

Data Limitations

• Near Real-time Emergency Department Visits

  • Syndrome definitions using key words are imperfect, and occasionally include non-CO-related visits or mistakenly exclude CO-related visits.
  • ED visit data do not include visits to the Veteran’s Affairs hospital in Maine or the Indian Health Service.

• Case Reporting: Cases, Events, and Deaths

  • Only CO poisoning cases that are directly reported or secondarily identified are included in the analysis. The representativeness of the analyses is dependent upon the extent to which case reporting captures CO poisoning cases occurring in Maine. 

• Carbon Monoxide Detector Access

  • Maine adults who are institutionalized, do not have a phone, or are unable to communicate are not represented.
  • Statistical weights are used to calculate prevalence estimates in order to be more representative of the general adult population in Maine and to adjust for non-response, though weighting methods are not perfect in accomplishing this. In 2015, weighting methodology changed to include cell phone and landline respondents. Changes in prevalence estimates may be partially related to changes in weighting practices.

Additional Details

• Combined year population data are the sum of individual years (e.g., 2010-2014 is the sum of populations in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014). Combined year rates are annualized across all included years.