Risk factors associated with, and immediate management of, burns in children less than five years in Soweto
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Date
2014-06-06
Authors
Mogale, N J
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Abstract
To describe the risk factors associated with burns, to ascertain
immediate home and hospital management and to endeavour to
establish appropriate recommendations to prevent or reduce the
incidence of burns.
DESIGN
Descriptive, KAP [Knowledge, attitude, practice] study
SUBJECTS
All burns patients five years and less presenting at Baragwanath
Burns Unit from the months o f July to September 1997.
RESULTS
Hundred andfifty children were seen between the months o f
July and September 1997. There were 89 (59.3 %) males and
61 (40.7 %) females. Children less than six months comprised
only 4 (2.6%) o f these burns. Of these burns 74.6 % were
scalds, 13.3 % were flame and 7.3 % were contact burns.
Spillage of hot water and tea were the main causes of scalds.
Only 26.7 % of the study population stayed in shack houses and
87.3 % had electricity at home. The mean occupancy rate -was
2.5 people per one room. All children were presented to the
health centres within 24 hours o f the injury, except for one who
arrived suffering from a burn wound which had become septic.
There was only one death from inhalation burns. The vast
majority of parents (85.9 %) said they had, learnt something
about the prevention of burns from the incident. Only 37.6% of
the parents said they were taught health education regarding
the immediate home management of burns by the doctors or
nursing staff. When the injury occurred, 82.7 % of the children
were not alone in the house and 41.7 % o f these were with their
mothers in the same room while 26.8 % were with their siblings,
none of whom were more than 13 years of age.
CONCLUSION
Many of the risk factors identified in this study are preventable.
Education remains the key factor in the prevention and
management of burns. Overcrowding appears to be another
reason for burns, however, further studies need to be conducted
in order to prove this. The health workers need to be
encouraged to help educate the patients and caregivers
regarding prevention as well as emergency management of
burns.
The media, mainly radio stations should also he more
extensively utilised for this purpose as it is already successfully
done via the Soul City edutainment program on radio and
television. Better supervision of children can also be facilitated
by older siblings (not pre-teenagers) taking care of the children
and by the private sectors together with the government
supplying and subsidising daycare centres for their employees.
Notification of burns would help to target the appropriate areas
which need immediate intervention.