Epidemiological study of burn injury with special reference to its prevention- A Nine-year retrospective study from a tertiary care hospital of West Bengal, India

Abstract

Burn injuries, generally have continued to attract the attention of researchers all over the world. Burn injuries rank among the most severe types of injuries suffered by the human body with an attendant high mortality and morbidity rate.1 Developing countries have a high incidence of burn injuries, creating a formidable public health problem. High population density, illiteracy, and poverty are the main demographic factors associated with a high risk of burn injury. The exact number of burn injury is diffi cult to determine. Judicious extrapolation suggests that in India, with a population of over 1 billion, 700 000 to

A Clinico-Epidemiological Study among Burn Injury Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Eastern India

“…Among 514 burn injury patients in the present study, majority were adults of 20-40 yrs (22.6%), similar to the study conducted by Chakraborty S et al [5] , Kuiri et al [6] , and Chatterjee S et al [7] in tertiary care hospitals of Kolkata, Bankura, Burdwan of West Bengal respectively and Goswami P et al [8] in Jamsedpur of Jharkhand. This age group is most frequently affected as they are mostly engaged in activities both indoor and outdoor.…”

“…Contrary to that, the study conducted by Bhansali CA et al in tertiary hospitals of Pune [11] , Gupta AK et al in Punjab [12] and Khasaba HA et al in Kuwait [9] showed it more among males. As like other studies, [5][6][7] majority of burn patients in the present study were from rural background, of primary education and of lower socioeconomic status. An epidemiological study in Indore by Moses S et al had also found the burn patients as mostly illiterates and of poor socioeconomic condition.…”

“…in Kuwait [9] and Gilbart LA et al in Labanan [14] , where as Bailey ME et al in Bangladesh [10] found a good number of cases caused due to electrical injury. Moses et al in Indore [6] and Tripathy S et al in a systematic review of burn cases in Nepal [16] found places of occurrence as home in more than 90% of the cases, where as the present study found occurrence at home in 65% cases, rest at workplace. The present study observed the mixed degree of burn in 75% of cases with 36% involving the dangerous areas of the body.…”

“…[10] The present study observed a female preponderance among the burn patients, with a male female ratio of 1:3.3, similar to the studies conducted in different tertiary care hospitals of West Bengal. [5][6][7] The reason might be due to engagement of the females in household activities using fire. Contrary to that, the study conducted by Bhansali CA et al in tertiary hospitals of Pune [11] , Gupta AK et al in Punjab [12] and Khasaba HA et al in Kuwait [9] showed it more among males.…”

“…[6,13] However Chatterjee S et al during post mortem examination of burn victims found the cause as accidental in 53% cases and Chakraborty S et al as 61% in admitted burn patients in a tertiary care hospital of Kolkata. [5][6][7] A systematic review on unintentional burns in south East Asia also accounted 80% burns due to flame and scald, which were mostly at homes among women and children. [15] In the present study 94% burns caused were thermal, similar to Khasaba LA et al…”