Medknow Publications on behalf of Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery
Abstract
Background: Developing countries have a high incidence of burn
injuries, creating a formidable public health problem. The exact number
of cases is difficult to determine: however in a country like India,
with a population of over 1 billion, we would estimate 700,000 to
800,000 burn admissions annually. Objective: The study was done to
investigate the epidemiology of various causations and their outcomes
in terms of morbidity and mortality. Also, the effect of social stigma
and cultural issues associated with burns on the victim and his family
was assessed. Materials and Methods: All burn cases (n=412) admitted
to the burns unit of M. Y. Hospital, Indore over a period of one year
(2005-2006) were investigated. The data regarding sex, age
predisposition, geographical origin, mode and nature of injury were
obtained by questionnaire-interview with the patient themselves.
Clinical assessment was done in the form of depth and extent of injury
and complications. In case of mortality, again various factors like
age, sex and cause of death were analyzed. The data was analyzed by
SPSS 11.0 version. The interrelationship between various factors was
studied using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results:
Burns were found more commonly in middle-aged groups. The incidence was
more in females as an absolute number (70.3%) as well as when
stratified by age. Most burns were domestic, with cooking being the
most prevalent activity. Flame (80.3%) was the most common agent. Most
of the cases of burn were accidental (67.7%). Moreover, the patients
had third degree burn that leads to more mortality in our
circumstances. Death occurred in more than one-half (62.3%) of cases
with septicaemia and disseminated intravascular coagulation (35.4%) as
the leading causes. When using logistic regression analysis, the
outcome of the burn injury was significantly associated with degree,
depth, extent and mode of injury. Conclusion: This series provides an
overview of the most important aspects of burn injuries for hospital
and non-hospital healthcare workers. The majority of deep burns are
accidental, seen in middle-aged housewives as a result of flame burns,
and lead to death. So measures should be taken to provide proper
education to prevent these accidents and ensure safety
