ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to find out the burden of burn injury and identify the high risk groups in Erbil city which could help in implementing effective preventive measures. The case records of patients with burn injury admitted to the Emergency Management Center in Erbil city from January 1st 2006 to December 31st 2007 were reviewed. Data on age and sex of patients, extent and aetiology of burn injury, and monthly and seasonal variations of injury were extracted from the case records. Out of 1920 burn patients admitted to the hospital; 452 died with an overall mortality rate of 23.54%; 70 [15.49%] were children and 382 [84.51%] were adults. The mortality rate was significantly higher among adults than children, 35.30% and 8.35%, respectively [p<0.001] and among females than males, 34.38% and 9.63% respectively [p<0.001], giving a male: female ratio of 0.22:1. The highest mortality rate was among adult females [47.88%] particularly the 15-29 years age group [53.07%]. The trend of injury and mortality showed fluctuation with increasing frequencies during the summer months. Flame injury was the main aetiology of burn [94.47%], which was significantly more common than scald injury among adults compared to children and among females compared to males. The study reports a high rate of mortality from burn injury with very high total body surface area [TBSA] burned especially among young adult females, and identifies the significance of burn injury as a public health problem and a social concern