Burns statistics are an eye-opener

MEN aged between 26 and 40 are the demographic group most likely to suffer burns, according to statistics from Netcare, the largest private hospital network in South Africa. The release of the data coincides with National Burns Awareness Week, which runs from 6 to 12 May.

“Interestingly, of the 1 859 male burns patients treated at Netcare hospitals between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2015, over a third (34 per cent) fell into the 26 to 40 age group. This could suggest that many of these injuries are work related. It could also be as a result of men tending to be more inclined to take risks than women,” said Mande

Toubkin, general manager trauma and emergency at Netcare.Netcare’s national burns data shows that during the period under review, Netcare hospitals cared for 3 206

burns patients, 58 per cent of whom were male.

“Eleven per cent of the patients (354) were categorised as critically injured, while a further 60 per cent of patients (1 906) were seriously

injured,” Toubkin observed.

Many of the most severe injuries are treated at Netcare Milpark Hospital burns unit which, as the only dedicated private

burns unit in the country, received referrals from all over South Africa and the African continent.

The unit’s manager, Katinka Rheeder, said there was no clear seasonal spike in patient numbers: “In the

private healthcare sector, at least, the risk of burns is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year.”

While almost a third of burns patients were aged between 26 and 40, Toubkin said the age groups of two to 12 years

(554) and 13 to 25 years (552) each accounted for 17 per cent of burn patients, which is lower than expected, but still represented a significant statistic.

Fifteen per cent (493) of patients were aged between 41 and 55 years. Nearly a third of patients treated were burned by hot water, yet many people do not realise the risks associated with this household necessity.

“The tragedy is that many of the burns injuries could have been prevented had simple precautions been taken,” Rheeder said.

“People should seriously consider reducing the temperature of their geysers, and should never first run hot water on its own into a bath, as this significantly reduces the chances of scalding injuries.

“Kettles, urns, portable cooking appliances and their cords should also be kept well out of reach of children, as should pots and containers with hot liquids,” she cautioned.

“While hot water was by far the leading cause of burns overall, the proportions of fire-related burns (11.7 per cent) and chemical burns (11 per cent) were also significant,” Toubkin observed.

The statistics are for patients treated at Netcare hospitals. National burns statistics related to gender, age group and type of burns may differ from the patterns reflected in Netcare’s data.

Dos and don’ts of burns first aid

While each burn is different, here are a few rules of thumb that can help to reduce

the severity of the injury.

DO

Remain calm

Extinguish flames

If the person’s clothes have caught fire you should:

get them to roll on the ground;

smother the flames with a non-flammable blanket; or

douse them with water or spray them with a fire extinguisher, depending on the

substance that caused the burn.

Look after your own safety

Switch off electricity if the patient has an electrical burn and is still in contact with

the electrical source, before assisting the patient.

When extinguishing flames on a patient, be careful that your own clothing does not catch fire.

In the case of a chemical burn, use protective eyewear and gloves.

Cool the burn area

Run cold water over the affected area.

Do this for at least 10 to 15 minutes in the case of minor to moderate burns.

Running the burn under cold water for a long time may help to limit the damage to

deeper skin tissues.

Chemical burns also benefit from running cold water over them, as this can help to

dilute the harmful substance.

Get the patient to an appropriate medical facility

Get to know the hospitals in your area and find out whether they offer burns trauma

treatment before you are faced with a burns emergency.

Wrap the patient in a clean sheet and take them to the medical facility or call an

ambulance, whichever will be quicker and more appropriate in the circumstances.

Call for advice and assistance

Call an emergency medical service provider as soon as it is practical to do so.

As each burn is different, give the call taker at the emergency operations centre as much

information as possible. This will help them to give you the most appropriate

advice.

DON’T

Do not attempt to apply any substances to the burn

Do not put ice on the burn, as this can further damage the tissue.

Do not put oily substances, pastes, turmeric, egg white, toothpaste or topical ointments on the

burn.

Do not press cotton wool or fluffy material directly onto the burn as this could increase

the chance of infection. However, you can use a Burnshield dressing, which is

available at pharmacies.

In the case of extensive burns, do not cool with water for too long because this could

cause hypothermia.

Never peel off or open blistered skin, as this could expose the patient to infection.

Never underestimate the severity of a burn. Rather, consult a medical professional.

Reference: Netcare 911 and World Health Organization