Epidemiological evaluation of burns

Burns and related injuries are important health problems in our country due to shortage of the special burn centers. Scalding and flame-related injuries are the most common mechanism of thermal injury. Males and children dominate the incidence of burn injury. Epidemiological studies demonstrate that loneliness and cigarettes smoking are major predisposing factors, preferentially involves low socioeconomic population and large proportion of burns are home related. Burn size of 1-10 % of body surface area and higher rate of upper extremity involvement are seen. While small burns are treated on an outpatient basis, major ones require hospitalization. Severe cases must be referred to special burn centers.