Improving care for the burn injured in Australia and New Zealand
February 2nd 2012
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Playing near a person preparing hot food or drinks was the most common cause of burn injury among children in the 12 month period from July 2009 to June 2010, with scald burn injuries representing 55 per cent of all burn injuries in the paediatric population.
This is just one of the alarming findings of the first-ever annual report of the Australia and New Zealand Burns Association (ANZBA) Bi National Burn Registry (BiNBR) - the most comprehensive snapshot ever compiled of burns injuries and their treatment in the two countries.
ANZBA was formed in 1976 and is the peak body for burns professionals in Australia and New Zealand. The primary objective of ANZBA is to develop higher standards of both burn patient care and burn injury prevention through research and education.
Professor Peter Cameron, of Monash University's Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine and chair of the ANZBA Bi-NBR Steering Committee said "The ANZBA Bi-NBR is the first of its kind within the international burns community."
Other key findings of the annual report include:
- One to two years olds are the most affected groups of children injured by burns, accounting for 37 per cent of all paediatric cases
· The 20-29 year old age group are the most affected group in adults accounting for 25% of injuries
- The most common cause of burn injury in children was by scalds from spilled hot tea and coffee.
- The most common injury in adults was flame burns from campfire/bonfire
- 26 children were admitted with friction burns caused by treadmills
The report highlights the need for parents to be more vigilant around children, particularly when preparing meals. In total, children represented 26 per cent of all patients admitted with burns injuries in this 12 month period.
For injured adults, men are twice as likely to suffer a severe burn injury than women, representing 69 percent of all admissions. In 52 percent of all flame related burn injuries an accelerant was involved. In most cases petrol was used to fuel the fires which subsequently caused burn injury. Among adults, campfires, bonfires and burn offs were the most common cause of burn injuries, while the most common place of injury for both adults and children was the home - accounting for 82 per cent of paediatric cases and 56 per cent of adult cases.
Heather Cleland, President of ANZBA and Director of the Victorian Adult Burns Service at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne said for the first time in Australian and New Zealand history, the Bi-NBR (the ANZBA Bi National Burns Registry) allows us to identify trends in burn injury and management.
"Given the current global environmental and political climate, there is a considerable risk for a disaster involving significant numbers of burns casualties to occur in Australia and New Zealand. The Bali Bombings and the 2009 Victorian bushfires are testament to this and demonstrated the ability of our burns services to respond to the needs of our community," Ms Cleland said.
"With the increasing incidence and risk of burn injury, along with improved survival, we needed a system to accurately describe burn injury and its management so we can ensure burns care in our countries is of the highest standard worldwide. The Bi-NBR is this instrument."
Fiona Wood, 2005 Australian of the Year and Director of the Royal Perth Burns Unit in Western Australia, said significant advancements in medicine and technology have resulted in improved survival following burn injury.
"People who would otherwise have succumbed to their injury 20 years ago now survive and consequently we need to ensure this group achieves the best possible outcomes for their future," Ms Wood said.
"However, we are yet to fully understand the needs of these survivors. The registry allows us the ability to track patient progress over time and in doing so; we can identify their needs and therefore provide the services they require."
The report also highlights the lack of knowledge in the community about how to correctly treat burns injuries. Siobhan Connolly, Chair of the ANZBA Burns Prevention Committee, said the Bi-NBR data shows that only 29% of all patients admitted to burns services have adequate first aid.
"Adequate first aid can reduce the severity and extent of a burn injury. This knowledge is of vital importance for the community," Ms Connolly said.
The following people are available for interview:
- Heather Cleland, ANZBA President & Director of Victorian Adult Burns Service Victoria
- Fiona Wood, Winthrop Professor, BIRU, School of Surgery UWA Chair, The McComb Research Foundation, Director Burns, Royal Perth Hospital, 2005 Australian of the Year
- Professor Peter Cameron, Chair of the ANZBA BiNBR Steering Committee, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University
- Siobhan Connolly, Chair of the ANZBA Burns Prevention Executive, Burn Prevention/Education Officer, Statewide Burn Injury Service, NSW Health
For all enquiries, please contact:
Tracey Petrie
Personal Assistant to Director
Victorian Adult Burns Service
The Alfred
t 03 9076 3626
f 03 9076 5568
