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A systematic review of epidemiological patterns and proposed interventions to address pediatric burns in Nigeria
Banerjee, Srikanta & Shumba, Constance
Abstract
Background: Unintentional injuries from burns comprise a significant proportion of public health morbidity in Nigeria.
In order to understand the type and impact of burns on youth in Low-and-Middle-Income countries, the epidemiology of
burns must be adequately assessed.
Methods: This review describes the epidemiological patterns of burn occurrences in the pediatric populations and proposes interventions using the Haddon Matrix to address injuries in specific populations in Nigeria. A literature search was
conducted using the Proquest, CINAHL, and PubMed databases at the Johns Hopkins University library (January 1, 1990 to
August 14, 2018), on burns or thermal injury among pediatric populations in Nigeria. The review focused on the forms of
injury, risk factors and potential interventions.
Results: Ten studies were identified and the main risk factors for burns were socioeconomic status, overcrowding, and
involving young girls in traditional cooking roles. The main types of injuries include scald injuries (50%) and fire burns
(45%) affecting mainly children aged 14 and below with significant regional epidemiological variations. We created a novel
intervention to develop countermeasures and reduce the number of pediatric burns based on biological, physical and sociocultural environment..
Conclusion: Interventions such as improved supervision of children, improved emergency infrastructure and culturally
sensitive first aid education and treatment can help ensure a reduction in morbidity and mortality resulting from burns.
Epidemiological studies can provide an accurate depiction of the burden of burn injuries in different regions of Nigeria.
Keywords
Burns; unintentional injury; flame injuries; interventions; injury prevention; epidemiology.
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