Risk factors associated with, and immediate management of, burns in children less than five years in Soweto

No Thumbnail Available

Date

2014-06-06

Authors

Mogale, N J

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

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.

Description

Keywords

Citation

Collections

Endorsement

Review

Supplemented By

Referenced By