title: The impact of socio-economic deprivation on burn injury: A nine-year retrospective study of 6441 patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low socio-economic status is thought to be associated with increased burn risk, however the significance and generalisability across different populations and cultures has been questioned.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nine-year retrospective study of burn presentations to a large teaching hospital (2005-2014) was performed to investigate the association between socio-economic status and burns. Demographic and injury data was collected via the trust 'Information portal'. The Welsh Index of Multiple: Deprivation 2011 was used to score for socio-economic status. Chi-squared test and Odds Ratios were calculated and statistical significance defined as p<0.05 throughout.
  
  
  RESULTS
  6441 burns were identified, with 755 (11.7%) admitted. Overall incidence rates were the highest published in the UK (0.35/1000/year) with sub group analysis showing the highest rates in under fives and males. Significant relationships between both age and burn mechanism and gender and burn mechanism (p=0.0005) were identified. Scald (67.1%) was the most common mechanism with the upper limb (48%) most commonly burned. Chi square analysis demonstrated a significant relationship between socio-economic deprivation, age and burn incidence (p≤0.0005), with a disproportionately high number of burns in patients under the age of 16 in the most deprived quintile (OR 1.23; 95% CI 1.06-1.44).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study specifically highlights patients under the age of 16 living in poorer socio-economic areas as the most at risk of suffering burns receiving hospital attention. This study demonstrates burns as a significant public health issue, and the results should aid in designing specific burn prevention strategies to target high-risk groups.
authors.affiliation: NISCHR Haemostasis Biomedical Research Unit, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, UK; The Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, UK.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Marsden
authors.affiliation: NISCHR Haemostasis Biomedical Research Unit, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, UK; College of Medicine, Swansea University, Swansea, UK.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Battle
authors.affiliation: The Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, UK.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Combellack
authors.affiliation: NISCHR Haemostasis Biomedical Research Unit, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, UK; Emergency Department, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sabra
authors.affiliation: School of Applied Science, University of Wales Institute Cardiff, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.affiliation: The Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, UK.
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Dickson
authors.affiliation: The Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, UK.
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Whitaker
authors.affiliation: NISCHR Haemostasis Biomedical Research Unit, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, UK; Emergency Department, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, UK. Electronic address: Phillip.A.Evans@wales.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002056:Burns / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Burn prevention; Burns; Epidemiology; Social deprivation; Socio-economic status