The Analysis of burn etiology of vulnerable populations in Lithuania

Abstract

Burn cases were selected according to ICD-10 disease codes T20-T32 from the National Health Insurance database for the period of 2001-2010. The information on burns etiology was collected in the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Heath Sciences Kauno Klinikos and was available out of 1204 children and 1415 adult case records. There was two vulnerable populations detected according whole country data: children under two years of age and men of working age. 5% of adult burns were occupational injuries; other adult burns happened at home, outside home or during recreational activities. All burns of children under 10 years of age happened at home. There were 33 arson, 23 suicidal and 1 risky behaviour cases of all the adult burns, and other burns were incidental. 46 adult burn vectors were detected. Burn vectors that affected woman were related to cooking. Burn vectors that affected men were related to house heating, outdoor tasks, work with the technique and with highly flammable substances. Nearly all burn vectors of children under two years of age were related to scalding and from 10 years of age children burn vectors began to change into adult burn-specific vectors. Conclusions: Scalding in the vulnerable population under two years of age composed 96% of all burns. The main etiological groups of scalding were scalding with hot drinks / food and scalding with hot water meant for houseware. Increased number of working age men burns and more severe burns of men are associated with their usually performed household tasks.