Elsevier

Burns

Volume 25, Issue 3, May 1999, Pages 272-276
Burns

Characteristics of bath-related burns in Japan

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0305-4179(98)00170-3Get rights and content

Abstract

A retrospective study of bath-related burn injuries was carried out at our institution. A total of 216 patients with burns were admitted between 1982 and 1996. Bath-related burns were identified in 58 patients (26.9%). The number of patients with bath-related burns increased throughout the study period. The percentage body surface area burned was 43.8±25.7% in the bath-related burn group and 27.3±28.3% in the bath-unrelated burn group. This difference was significant. There was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to mortality rate. The mechanism by which the patients sustained a bath-related burn clearly differed according to age. The percentage of burns which are bath-related and the severity of bath-related burns are higher in Japan than in any other country. This can be attributed to lifestyle, bathing systems, bathroom architecture, housing conditions and an increase in the elderly population. These burns can be prevented. Education based on this study will play a critical role in the prevention of the bath-related burn injuries.

Introduction

Thanks to recent advances in the treatment of burns, survival has greatly improved. However, prevention is of paramount importance, and thus it is critical to understand how patients are burned. Flame and hot water burns are common in Japan and abroad, and in Japan especially, bath-related accidents often result in extensive and severe burn injuries[1]. The purpose of this study was to identify features of bath-related burns which could be used in prevention programs.

Section snippets

Subjects and methods

Included in this study were all patients with burns admitted to the Critical Care Medical Center, Kinki University Hospital between 1982 and 1996. A retrospective analysis of age, sex, percentage body surface area (%BSA) of the burn, burn index (BI), mortality rate and burn etiology was performed. The patients were divided into five age groups according to the behavior pattern around the bath.

Data were expressed as mean±S.D. Age, BSA and BI were analyzed with the unpaired Student's t-test.

Number of bath-related burns

A total of 216 patients were admitted with burns during the study period. The burns were bath-related in 58 patients (26.9%). Bath-related burns were second only to flame burns (Fig. 1). The number of patients with bath-related burns increased throughout the study period which was divided into 5-year intervals (Fig. 2).

Age and sex differences

In the 3 to 5 age group, 80.0% of all burns were bath-related. Only 16.1% of the burns were bath-related in the 16 to 69 age group (Fig. 3). Of all the patients with bath-related

Discussion

There are no independent burn centers in Japan. Severely burned patients are treated at critical care medical centers, as ours. Many individuals sustain bath-related burns in Japan[1]. We therefore conducted this study to identify features of bath-related burns.

Conclusion

To conclude, our results indicate that the percentage of burns which are bath-related and the severity of bath-related burns are high, and that the mechanism of bath-related burns clearly differed according to age. These can be attributed to lifestyle, bathing systems, living conditions and an increase in the elderly population. It is possible to prevent these burns in most cases. Education based on this study will play a critical role in the prevention of the bath-related burn injuries.

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