Epidemiologic shifts for burn injury in Ethiopia from 2001 to 2016: Implications for public health measures

Burn mortality rates are higher in Africa as compared to developed nations, with burns as small as 20% of total body surface area (TBSA) often leading to death [1 –3]. While the past 40 years have witnessed dramatic improvement in burn care in the developed world with advances being made in areas such as resuscitation, skin grafting, wound care, and improved infection control [4,5], these basic pillars of burn care remain unavailable in many low and middle income countries (LMICs) [5]. Given that worldwide, an estimated 10 million disability-adjusted life years are lost to severe burn (much of this in LMICs [6]), burn injury can appropriately be seen as a public health crisis.

Source: Burns : Journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries - July 30, 2018 Category: Cosmetic Surgery Authors: Freda L. Ready, Yohannes D. Gebremedhem, Metesabia Worku, Kajal Mehta, Mekonen Eshte, YPaul L. GoldenMerry, Fiemu E. Nwariaku, Steven E. Wolf, Herb A. Phelan Source Type: research