Epidemiological Insights from Media Reports on Foreign Body Aspiration in the Trachea: A Retrospective Descriptive Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate foreign body aspiration (FBA) incidents reported in Turkish online media, focusing on demographic characteristics, incident settings, object types, first aid interventions, and mortality-related factors. Methods: In this descriptive study, 3,210 news articles published between 2015 and 2024 were screened using keywords (e.g., "Heimlich," "foreign body," "aspiration") through Google and eight national news sites. After removing duplicates and irrelevant content, a total of 192 verified FBA cases were included in the analysis. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 23.0 (descriptive, Chi-square, Fisher's exact, Mann-Whitney U). Results: Most cases (52.6%) occurred in 2024. The most frequently reported provinces were Istanbul, Gaziantep, and Bursa. Schools were the most common incident setting (36.4%), and food particles were the most aspirated items (31.8%). While 85.4% of victims survived, 14.1% died. Mortality was significantly higher in home-based incidents (52.9%) compared to other settings (p<0.001). Conclusion: FBA remains a preventable yet serious public health concern, especially among children under 5 and adults aged 65+. The high mortality in household cases highlights the need for domestic safety measures and first aid education. Media data may serve as a complementary tool in public health research and injury surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]