80 Minor Burns in Infants: What has Changed During the Last 15 Years?

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Infants are prone to unintentional minor burns. Caregivers play a key role in prevention and first aid. So, updating communal burn-prevention education programs according to time-related social changes is of importance. Aim of the present study was to analyze features of minor burns in infants who were referred to our burn center in the last 15 years. Methods Subjects were 973 infants(1-24months) with minor burns who were treated at our burn center between 2005 and 2019. Subjects were divided into two subgroups; groupI: referrals between 2005 and 2014(n=465) and groupII: referrals between 2015 and 2019(n=508). Data collected for each case were age; sex; burn-cause; extent of burns; affected major body-sites; environment in which injury occurred; first-aid method used by the caregiver; referral history (time interval between injury and referral (TIIR) and other hospitals before arriving at our center). Socioeconomic status was investigated with social-security status; home-types and methods of home-heating. Results Median age was 1±0,2 both in groupI and in groupII; male/female ratio was 0,96/1 in groupI and it was 1,07/1 in groupII. Mean TBSA burned was 2,74±0,12%(min:0,1,max:18) in groupI and it was 2,22±0,11(min:0,1,max:18) in groupII. Most common burn-cause was scalds in both groups (groupI: n=351;75,5%, groupII: n=405;79,8%) (p˃,05). Chemical burns slightly increased, flame burns decreased in groupII (p˂,05). Hands continued to be the most common affected major body-site (n=334;34,5%)(p˃,05).Home was the most common environment in which injury occurred (groupI: n=428;92%, groupII: n=487;95,9%) (p˃,05). Tap water was the favorite first-aid method (groupI: n=366;78,9%; groupII: n=411;80,9%) (p˃,05). But tendency to herbal and/or unreasoning first-aid methods increased in groupII (groupI: n=10;2,2%, groupII: n=47;9,3%)(p˂,05). TIIR was under 3 days for 820 cases (84,3%)(p˃,05). Rates of unmediated referral to our burn-center were higher in groupII (groupI:n=221;47,5%,groupII:n=303;59,7%)(p<,05). Most infants were in civil social-security-system, with an increased number of private-insurance in groupII (groupI: n=12;25,7%,groupII: n=29;74,3%)(p<,05). Most lived at centrally heated homes(n=926; 95,2%), and number of infants who lived at stove-heated homes decreased in group II (groupI:n=31; 6,7%,groupII:n=16; 3,1%)(p˂,05). Conclusions Our results revealed that socioeconomic status has improved, direct referrals to burn center increased in the last 5 years. Unfortunately usage of herbal and unreasoning first aid methods also increased in the same period. Future communal education programs for caregivers should emphatically continue to focus on precautions against threats at homes and correct first-aid methods should be urged.