title: Factors affecting adherence to treatment and follow-up of burns in children: A single centre experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Children are prone to burn injury. Burns can be seen as a part of child abuse. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors affecting adherence to the treatment of burn patients, and to emphasize the role of the physician in identifying children's non-accidental burn injuries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children who were hospitalized in the burn unit were analyzed retrospectively. Results were assessed for significance using the Chi-square test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 189 patients were included. Some patients (n = 52; 27.5%) were discharged against medical advice (DAMA) before completion of treatment. Although we could not demonstrate a relationship between non-accidental etiology and DAMA group, it was significant that these patients did not contact the outpatient clinic after discharge. It was evident from records that two of these cases were abused. The reasoning of the parents in the DAMA group for the early discharge was siblings at home, financial and accommodation problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although burns in children commonly occur due to an accident, each burn case should be examined for a non-accidental etiology and findings suggesting abuse should be noted. Physicians should be alert for the detection of signs of burn related child abuse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Burn Care Unit, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa Talip
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Sener
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Burn Care Unit, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Osman Enver
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Aydın
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Burn Care Unit, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yuksel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ançı
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Burn Care Unit, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kara
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Burn Care Unit, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Onder
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Burn Care Unit, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet Nezih
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Kok
keywords: Accident; burns; child abuse; injury