Self-inflicted burns in Brazil: systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Burns are a significant cause of trauma in Brazil, with millions of incidents and thousands of deaths annually.
• Self-intentional burns are associated with poorer outcomes, including larger burn surface areas, increased infection rates, and higher mortality.
• Limited research exists on self-immolation, creating a knowledge gap regarding Brazilian victims.

Approach:

• A systematic review following PRISMA 2020 guidelines was conducted to analyze burn events due to self-injurious behavior in Brazil.
• The review covered the period from 2003 to 2023, utilizing MeSH terms 'Burns', 'Self-Injurious Behavior', 'Epidemiology', and 'Brazil'.
• Searches were performed across PubMed/MEDLINE, SciELO, and Cochrane Library, with eligible studies critically analyzed.

Key Points:

• Out of 1,077 pre-selected studies, 7 were included, analyzing 3,510 burn victims, with 311 cases involving self-injurious behavior.
• Self-inflicted burns correlate with a significantly larger burned surface area (MD=19.2 [10-28.2]) and a higher risk of death (RR=5.1 [3.2-8.1]) compared to accidental burns.
• The female gender demonstrated a higher risk of attempting self-immolation (RR=4.01 [2.9-5.5]).

Conclusions:

• Self-inflicted burns in Brazil are associated with more extensive injuries and a greater likelihood of mortality.
• Female individuals are identified as a key demographic at higher risk for self-immolation-related burns.
• These findings underscore the need for targeted prevention and intervention strategies for self-inflicted burns in Brazil.