Thermal Injury in the Elderly: Incidence and Cause

Kravitz, Melva; Elliott, Sean P.; Weissman, Matthew A; Saffle, J. R.; Warden, G. D.

doi:10.1097/00004630-198511000-00006

Cited by 14 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…This finding is consistent with previous studies. 33 – 37 Consistent with previous studies, 38 – 43 flame burns were the most common cause of burn injury in the younger adult population (aged 18–64 years) whereas the proportion of scald injuries increased in older age groups. This mechanism of injury is consistent with the finding that many burns in older adults are sustained during cooking and bathing, 44 as well as spills involving hot drinks.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Epidemiology of burn injury in older adults: An Australian and New Zealand perspective

Tracy

Singer

Schrale

et al. 2020

Scars, Burns & Healing

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Introduction: The ageing global population presents a novel set of challenges for trauma systems. Less research has focused on the older adult population with burns and how they differ compared to younger patients. This study aimed to describe, and compare with younger peers, the number, causes and surgical management of older adults with burn injuries in Australia and New Zealand. Methods: The Burns Registry of Australia and New Zealand was used to identify patients with burn injuries between 1 July 2009 and 31 December 2018. Temporal trends in incidence rates were evaluated and categorised by age at injury. Patient demographics, injury severity and event characteristics, surgical intervention and in-hospital outcomes were investigated. Results: There were 2394 burn-injured older adults admitted during the study period, accounting for 13.4% of adult admissions. Scalds were the most common cause of burn injury in older adults. The incidence of older adult burns increased by 2.96% each year (incidence rate ratio = 1.030, 95% confidence interval = 1.013–1.046, P < 0.001). Compared to their younger peers, a smaller proportion of older adult patients were taken to theatre for a surgical procedure, though a larger proportion of older adults received a skin graft. Discussion: Differences in patient and injury characteristics, surgical management and in-hospital outcomes were observed for older adults. These findings provide the Australian and New Zealand burn care community with a greater understanding of burn injury and their treatments in a unique group of patients who are at risk of poorer outcomes than younger people. Lay Summary The number and proportion of older persons in every country of the world is growing. This may create challenges for healthcare systems. While burn injuries are a unique subset of trauma that affect individuals of all ages, less is known about burns in older adults and how they differ from younger patients. We wanted to look at the number, type, management, and outcomes of burns in older adults in Australia and New Zealand. To do this, we used data from the Burns Registry of Australia and New Zealand, or BRANZ. The BRANZ is a database that collects information on patients that present to Australian and New Zealand hospitals that have a specialist burns unit. Our research found that one in eight adult burns patients was over the age of 65, and that the rate of burn injuries in older adults has increased over the last decade. Older adult burns patients were most commonly affected by scalds after coming in contact with wet heat such as boiling liquids or steam. Fewer older adults went to theatre for an operation or surgical procedure compared to their younger counterparts. However, a larger proportion of older adults that went to theatre had a skin graft (where skin is removed from an uninjured part of the body and placed over the injured part). This research provides important information about a unique and growing group of patients to the local burn care community. It also highlights potential avenues for injury prevention initiatives.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Epidemiology of burn injury in older adults: An Australian and New Zealand perspective

Tracy

Singer

Schrale

et al. 2020

Scars, Burns & Healing

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The elderly have several characteristics that place them at risk for sustaining a burn injury: slower reaction times make them less able to a burn; they often live alone; and their skin atrophies and has a thinner dermal layer, placing them at risk for sustaining a full-thickness burn with a shorter exposure to the burning agent [22,26]. Kravitz et al [35] found that the elderly were more likely to be burned by flame (60% of the time) followed by scalds (16%), contact with hot object (6%), and contact with electricity (3%). The fatality rate for the person 70 years or older is three times that of the national average.…”

Section: Elderly Populationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In 1998, 236,200 patients were treated in emergency departments for chemical burns; however, only 2% were admitted to the hospital, mostly because appropriate emergent measures were administered to remove the chemical agent. Chemical burns averaged approximately 2 days lost from work [3,35,45]. Occupations at risk for chemical burns are jobs working with strong acids (fertilizer manufactures), strong alkalis (soap manufacturers), and hydrofluoric acid (petroleum refiners and air conditioner cleaners).…”

Section: Occupationmentioning

confidence: 99%