Mortality pattern of burn patients admitted in S. G. M. Hospital Rewa: A teaching institute of central India

Abstract

Background: Burn injuries rank among the most severe types of injuries suffered by the human body with an attendant high mortality and morbidity rate. In previous studies, incidence, severity and deaths due to burn were found higher in young married women in India. Study to find out mortality pattern in burn patient was not carried out in this part of country. Objective: To identify demographic and sociocultural factors, type, modes, causes and risk factors for burn injuries and their gender-wise association. Materials and Methods: It was a retrospective study. Data were collected from all burn patients who admitted and died while on the treatment from 2004 to 2009. A total of 586 patients were included in this study. Data were gathered from hospital records and entered in the excel sheet. Analysis of data was done by using SPSS version 17 statistical software. Results: The mean age of patients was 22.66 years (range 1 m to 80 years). Episodes of burn were 4.63 times common in female (82.25%) than in male (17.75%). It was statistically significant in females of age group 21-30 years (93.93% vs. 15.33% P < 0.0001). Married females (86.80%) burned more commonly than married males (13.19%) P < 0.0001. Flame burn was the major cause of death (95.56%). Kerosene was the most common (69%) source of flame burn. Clothes caught fire while working on Chullha were 25% cases ( P < 0.0001). Accidental (86.44%) burn was the most common intention of injury. The majority of burn deaths (68%) occurred within one week of the incident due to septicemia (57%). Conclusion: Factors associated with an increase in mortality were accidental burns, burn size, young age, married women, and flame burns. For planning and implementing prevention programs, the approach has to be multidisciplinary and coordinated.