[Burn death rate among hospitalized patients in Zare' teaching hospital of Mazandaran medical University, Sari, Iran [2002-04]]

ABSTRACT

Burning is a general health problem and is also a global injury as well as a very serious sanitary issue in industrial and developing countries. In its severe form, burning can claim lives. It seems essential in every society to analyze burning, to study the causes of burning, treatment outcomes and the death rates, etc. to find proper preventive measures. In this cross-sectional study, the medical records of all patients who were hospitalized and finally deceased during the years 2002 and 2004 in Zare' teaching hospital, Sari, were examined. Some variables including the age span average, the degree and percentage of burning, patients' residence, gender, the cause of burning [i.e. boiling water, fire, acids and explosives], average hospitalization period, surgery and also the abundance of self - burning attempts were examined. This study indicate that during these 3 years the total number of those who died from burns was 506 [23.4%]. The residential places were in Mazanderan province [41.7%], Golestan province [41.4%], and Gilan province [10.2%]. The abundance of burning ranges as below The 2 and 3 degree of burning at 91.8%. Regarding the percentage of burns, 31.7% of abundance pertains to burning at 90% and more. The greatest external causes leading to burns are petrol, gas, and gas oil at 57.9%. Also, the percentage of burns does not have much influence on death rate among 50 - year - olds and older people. This study indicated that the importance of death between burned patient in special sex and age. To establish hospitals, some issues must be considered as distance, transportation, route dangers, characteristics of area, existing epidemiological survey, and finally the epidemics and event statistics