title: Effect of a targeted education intervention on the incidence of waste-burning injuries in a military population.
abstract: The burning of waste is a common cause of accidental injury on the battlefield. This study was devised to determine the incidence of burns incurred while burning waste during U.S. military operations prior to and following an intervention targeted at reducing such injuries. The intervention consisted of memoranda outlining potential dangers and suggesting improved safety procedures. It was distributed to the combat theater (Iraq and Afghanistan) in March 2004. We reviewed military burn center records from March 2003 to March 2005. Demographics, injury data, and outcomes were recorded and compared between those casualties injured prior to and following the initiative. Twenty-four patients were injured while burning waste, 10% of military casualties admitted to the burn center during the study period. From March 2003 to March 2004, 20 patients were admitted with such injuries. The incidence of 1.67 per month was significantly (P<.05) higher than that seen the year after the intervention (four patients, 0.33 per month). TBSA burned was not different between the two time periods (9.8+/-8% before vs 6.3+/-7% after, P=.43). There were no deaths, and only one patient had an associated nonburn injury. Only 54% of patients returned to military duty. The initiative was followed by a significant decrease in the incidence of waste-burning injuries. We conclude that the initiative was successful and highlights the importance of continued military burn surveillance and prevention efforts.
authors.affiliation: United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234, USA.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Kauvar
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Baer
mesh_terms: D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D002056:Burns / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005390:Fires; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008887:Military Medicine; D008889:Military Personnel; D011481:Protective Clothing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011482:Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D014481:United States