Epidemiological profile of minor and moderate burn victims at the University Hospital San José, Popayán, Colombia, 2000–2010

doi:10.1016/j.burns.2012.11.007

Burns

Volume 39, Issue 5, August 2013, Pages 1012-1017

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.burns.2012.11.007 Get rights and content

Abstract

Objectives

To describe the epidemiological profile of minor and moderate burn victims at the University Hospital San José, Popayán, Colombia, 2000–2010.

Methods

This study was retrospective description of minor and moderate burn victims admitted between 2000 and 2010 at the Burn Unit of University Hospital San José (UHSJ). The following variables were recorded and analyzed: age, gender, origin, social security, depth and extent of burn, days of hospitalization, causal agent and mortality. SPSS 19.0 was used. The level of significance was p < 0.05.

Results

During 2000–2010, 845 patients were included. 61.7% were men. The average age was 17.9 years. Most of patients were from rural areas (80.4%). Most people belonged to the Subsidized Health Colombian System (85.3%). The most common causal agent was scalding liquids (49.7%). The most frequent depth was second degree burns (57.8%) and the average burned body surface was 20%. The average hospital stay was 20.4 days, and the median hospitalization time was 14 days. Mortality was 1.4%.

Conclusions

The findings of this study are the first to define the characteristics of burns in Popayán. This study is the basis for identifying preventative measures in the local health care system.

Introduction

Burns are a global public health problem. In 2004, the overall incidence was 11 million affected people [1]. Each year, more than 300,000 people die from these injuries. Over 90% of deaths whose burns are caused by fire occur in countries of middle and low income. Millions more, mostly among people of low socioeconomic status, suffer disability and disfigurement with psychological, social and economic consequences on the survivors and their families. Burns lead to costly, lengthy hospitalization stay and rehabilitation programs [2].

A systematic review of the literature on the epidemiology of burns conducted in Europe between 1985 and 2009 revealed that most of the victims were men and children. The most common causal agents were scalding liquids, fire, and contact with hot objects [3]. In South America, epidemiological investigations show that most cases involved domestic incidents, industrial or workplace [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10]. In Colombia there are few studies that have determined the epidemiological profile of burns [6], [9], [10]. One was held in the city of Medellin, in a similar period to the present study, showing that the causal agents were scalding liquids, fire and electricity [6].

Locally in Popayán, a city in the southwestern region of Colombia, it is necessary to generate evidence in order to establish a strategy based on actual data to plan appropriate care for burn patients and to design preventive interventions. Some Latin-American studies have identified risk factors: low socioeconomic status, low level of education of mothers or caregivers responsible for the child at the time of the accident and small or precarious houses or kitchen equipment [8]. Some of these factors can be modified for preventive or educational policies for municipalities or States in the medium and long term. Additionally, prevention efforts based on local epidemiological profile are needed to reduce the number of burn victims and should be developed on a local level [5].

The Burn Unit of University Hospital San José (UHSJ) from the city of Popayán, is the main and the only referral center for burn patients in the department of Cauca, southwestern Colombia. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological profile of patients with minor and moderate burns admitted to this unit during 2000–2010.

Section snippets

Methods and materials

This was a retrospective study of minor and moderate burn victims admitted between 2000 and 2010 at the Burn Unit of UHSJ of Popayán, which had in 2010 an estimated population of 237,000 inhabitants [11]. In 2005, 95.9% of households in Popayán had electrical service and 94.8% had water service [12].

The UHSJ, is a public departmental hospital. This medical center treats patients of three sections of the Colombian Health System: the linked scheme is composed by people of low socioeconomic class,

Population

During the study period 2000–2010, 845 of 921 (91.7%) patients treated at the Burn Unit of UHSJ that had complete data were included for analysis. Sixty-one point seven percent (61.7%, 521 patients) were males and 38.3% (324 patients) were female, with a ratio 1.6:1. The average age was 17.9 years, ranging from 0 to 89 years. Two hundred ninety seven cases were children under 5 years, accounting for 35.1% of all patients admitted. The age group most affected was 15–59 years (34.9%), followed by

Discussion

This was a descriptive study conducted during the period 2000–2010 in the UHSJ of Popayán, Colombia, and it is the first to take into account a decade for epidemiological analysis. This is relevant because this hospital is the only referral center for burn patients in the Department of Cauca. A decade of study allowed us to observe both demographic characteristics and causes of burns, providing information that has the potential to develop preventive interventions.

The main limitation on this

Conclusion

Today in Colombia, there is a belief that enables the decisions of health authorities to consider that fireworks are the major causal agent of burns in children under 14. Such campaigns have been implemented to prohibit the marketing and use of all types of fireworks, allowing its use only for experts in various festive events mainly in December and penalizing parents who allow their children to handle it. However, our study revealed that these preventive actions are insufficient when finding

Conflict of interest statement

All the authors declare no conflict of interest. All the authors have made substantial contributions to conception and study design, data acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data, and drafting the article.

Acknowledgments

We thank to the Burn Unit of University Hospital San José, city of Popayán, Colombia. In addition very thanks to José Andrés Calvache, for his help on statistical analysis and the University of Cauca.

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