title: Incidence and risk factors of burn injuries among infants, Finland 1990-2010.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our aim was to study the incidence, mechanisms, treatment, and risk factors of burn injuries in infants younger than 1 year.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on burn-injured infants during 1990-2011 in Finland came from the National Hospital Discharge Register (NHDR). Information on birth and maternal-related factors came from the Finnish Medical Birth Register, and data on fatal injuries from the Cause of Death Register of Finland.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study included 1842 children, female to male 1:1.5. The annual overall incidence of inhospital and outpatient admissions increased during the study period (p<0.05). Major risk factors were male gender, parity, and the mother's socioeconomic status and young age. The most common causes were scalds and contact burns. Severity of the injury increased along with increasing age, and children aged 9-12 months had the highest prevalence of surgical treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Burn injury incidence in children under 1 year has increased during recent decades in Finland. First-born 9- to 12-month-old boys of young mothers of low socioeconomic status are at higher risk of burn injuries. Preventative work needs strengthening to reduce infant burn injuries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: elina.laitakari@fimnet.fi.
authors.forename: Elina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Laitakari
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Virve
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Koljonen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Risto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rintala
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Sari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pyörälä
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland; Nordic School of Public Health, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gissler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002056:Burns / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005544:Forecasting; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Burns; Incidence; Infant; Mother's age; Risk factors