Implementation of the World Health Organization Global Burn Registry: Lessons Learned

Area of Science:

• Global health epidemiology
• Injury prevention and control
• Health informatics

Background:

• Burn injuries represent a significant global health challenge, with their full burden underestimated due to fragmented data.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Burn Registry (GBR) was established in 2018 to standardize burn injury data collection worldwide.
• Low and inconsistent uptake of the GBR highlights a need to understand implementation challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify barriers and facilitators to the implementation of the WHO Global Burn Registry (GBR).
• To inform the development of a web-based GBR implementation guide.
• To enhance the utilization of the GBR for global burn injury prevention and care.

Main Methods:

• Web-based surveys were conducted with individuals who use and do not use the GBR.
• Purposive sampling was employed to recruit participants.
• The study analyzed themes related to awareness, stakeholder engagement, resources, process management, and registry utility.

Main Results:

• Key barriers and facilitators to GBR implementation were identified across several domains.
• Awareness, stakeholder buy-in, resource limitations, process management, and perceived utility significantly influenced GBR adoption.
• Understanding these factors is crucial for improving GBR usage.

Conclusions:

• Lessons learned can support current and future GBR users in maximizing registry use.
• Enhanced engagement through education, promotion, community building, data utilization tools, and re-evaluation is essential.
• Achieving the GBR's full potential requires a concerted effort to overcome implementation hurdles.