Epidemiology of Burns in Korea from 2010 to 2014

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The epidemiology of burns in Korea has been sporadically reported in the treatis based on data from one burn center or hospital. The nationwide epidemiological study for burns in the Korea is scarce. It is necessary to establish the national medical plan for providing the specialized burn care for burn victims, burn prevention and burn safety for publics. METHODS: This study is done based on the burn patients data receiving medical treatment, from the Korea National Health Insurance Service during 2010~2014. We reviewed the following issues; the average annual burn incidence, and tendency of burn occurrence in every year, sex distribution of burn patients, the yearly numbers of pediatric burn patients, incidence of specific-age pediatric burn patients, incidence of burns by specific-age group, and prevalent sites of burns. RESULTS: 1) The average annual burn patient is 545,462 in 2010~2014. The average annual incidence of burn patients per 100,000 population is 1,091. The total annual numbers of burn patient is gradually increasing in tendency. 2) Male and female sex ratio is 39 (the mean 214,832 male burn patients per year): 61 (the mean 330,630 female burn patients per year). 3) The average pediatric burn patient (1~15 age) is 123,934 and it consists of 22.7% of the average annual burn patients during 2010~2014. 4) The most prevalent age of pediatric burns revealed at the age of 1 (21.7%). The incidence of burn patients of 1~2 age occupy 38.4% of the total pediatric burn patients. 5) The four age group-specific burn incidence are classified as pediatric group (0~15 age) 22.7% (123,934 patients), adolescence-middle age group (16~39 age) 32.3% (176,288 patients), middle-old age group (40~74 age) 41.9% (228,427 patients), super old age group (over 75) 3.1% (16,813 patients). 6) The mean yearly burn sites was 567,200. Among them, the most prevalent site of burn was hand (32.8%), and followed by upper extremities (13.5%), lower extremities (13.4%), face (10.5%), foot (10.1%), trunk (6.6%). the unspecified area and etc (13%), respiratory tract (0.1%). CONCLUSION: Based on the data from the Korea National Health Insurance Service, the average annual burn incidence is mean 545,462 burn patients during 2010~2014 in Korea, and revealed increasing in tendency. This epidemiological data can be attribute to providing the specialized burn care to domestic burn victims, and to establish the plans for burn prediction and prevention, and burn safety.