Abstract
Background
Pediatric burn injuries are one of the leading causes of preventable morbidity and mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Research on the complex system of social, economic and cultural factors contributing to burn injuries in this setting is much needed.
Methods
We conducted a prospective questionnaire-based analysis of pediatric burn patients presenting to the Hospital Central de Maputo. A total of 39 patients were included in the study. Interviews were conducted with the children’s caretakers by two trained medical students at the Eduardo Mondlane Medical School in Maputo with the aid of local nursing staff.
Results
Most burns occurred from scald wounds (26/39) particularly from bathwater, followed by fire burns (11/39). Burns occurred more frequently in the afternoon (16/39) and evening (16/39). Over one quarter of burns (9/33) occurred in the absence of a caretaker. One-third (12/36) of participants attempted to treat the burn at home prior to bringing the child into the hospital, and roughly two-thirds (24/37) reported using traditional remedies for burn care. The average household had just 2 rooms for an average of 5 family members. Most burns were second degree (25/37).
Conclusions
Prevention efforts in this setting are much needed and can be implemented taking complex cultural and social factors into account. Education regarding regulation of water temperature for baths is important, given the prevalence of scald burns. Moreover, the introduction of low-cost, safer cooking technology can help mitigate inhalation injury and reduce fire burns. Additionally, burn care systems must be integrated with local traditional medical interventions to respect local cultural medicinal practices.
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Acknowledgements
This research has been supported in part by the UCLA Center for World Health, Mending Kids International, Sunwest Mortgage, NIH/NCRR/NCATS UCLA CTSI Grant UL1TR000124, and the UCLA Department of Surgery and Division of Pediatric Surgery. We acknowledge Dr. Celso Monjane for his help with data collection and Dr. Emily Hartford, Dr. Lee Miller, Dr. Paula Santos, and Dr. Mohsin Sidat for the support they provide through the partnership between UCLA and the Eduardo Mondlane University and the Hospital Central Maputo. We acknowledge Steve Bickler, MD from the University of California, San Diego, for his collaborative contributions through the Medical Education Partnership Initiative. Funding sources were not involved in the study design, data analysis, writing or submission of this article. The findings and conclusions presented are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the funding agencies.
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Abraar Karan and Vanda Amado are co-first authors.
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Karan, A., Amado, V., Vitorino, P. et al. Evaluating the socioeconomic and cultural factors associated with pediatric burn injuries in Maputo, Mozambique. Pediatr Surg Int 31, 1035–1040 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-015-3761-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-015-3761-5