Burn Injuries in People Who Used Drug, 2009 to 2017: A Case-Control Study in Shiraz, Southern Iran

Burn injury is a critical health issue, which is associated with several morbidities and mortalities. Substance abuse, which is an important public health problem in Iran, can affect burn injury outcomes and etiologies in victims. This study was aimed to evaluate different aspects of burn injuries in people who used drug (PWUD) in two referral centers in the south of Iran. This case-control study was conducted on burn victims referred to Amir-al Momenin Hospital and Ghotb-al-din Hospital from 2009 to 2017. Patients with a history of drug consumption were selected from the database and compared to randomly selected burn victims with no history of drug use. Demographics, burn etiology, underlying disease, total body surface area, hospitalization duration, and also the outcomes were collected and recorded in both groups. Data analysis was done by SPSS software. A total of 5912 inpatients were included in this study, of which 2397 of them (40.54%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 26.12 ± 19.18. Drug history was positive in 659 patients (11.15%). Familial issues and mental disorders were significantly higher in the PWUD group compared to the control group (P < .001). Explosion etiology was significantly higher in the PWUD group (P < .001). Psychiatric disorders (P < .001), total body surface area (P = .023), and hospital stay (P < .001) were significantly higher in PWUD; however, the mortality rate had no statistically significant differences between the groups (P = .583). Substance abuse is a risk factor in burn victims, which can affect burn etiology and burn-related morbidities.