Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #102412

LAWRENCE Oifoghe, MBBS, MPH, PUBLIC HEALTH SCIENCES, KING'S COLLEGE LONDON,UK, 42 WESTON STREET, London SE1 3QD, United Kingdom, 0207848 6603, lawrenceoifoghe@hotmail.com and David H. Stone, BSc, MBChB, MD, Child Health (Paediatric Epidemiology unit), University of Glasgow, Yorkhill Royal Hospital for Sick children, Glasgow G3 8SJ, United Kingdom.

Objectives: To describe the epidemiological pattern, 10-year time trends and preventive approach to burns and scalds injuries among children in Scotland. Methods: Time trend analysis of data from two main sources; the Scottish morbidity records(SMR01) and the Yorkhill hospital A&E data based on the Canadian hospitals injury reporting and prevention program (CHIRPP) Results: The hospitalisation rate for burns and scalds injuries in Scotland during the ten-year period has remained essentailly stable.The under 2-year olds are the most at risk group, more males than females were hospitalised, scalding remains the most common cause followed by contact burns, the kitchen and living room are the place where most of these injuries occur, children from lower socio-economic group were at higher risk of hospitalisation. The mean lenght of stay in hospital was less than one week, the upper limbs and trunk were the most commonly injured part of the body. Greater Glasgow and Lothian health boards had the highest hospitalisation rates. Seasonal variation did not influence the incidence of burns injuries. Conclusion: The trend in the incidence of burns and scalds hospitalisation need to be interpreted with caution since hospitalisation data has a number of limitations. there is need for further research utilising data from varied sources and over a longer period to establish the true burden of burns and scalds injuries in children.

Learning Objectives:

• To describe the epidemiology of burns and scalds injuries in children.
• To explore preventive approaches base on the literature.
• To make appropriate recommendations based on the findings from this study.

Keywords: Burns, Epidemiology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.