Epidemiological Trends and Clinical Implications: An 8-Year Retrospective Study from a Burn Rehabilitation Center in...

Background and Objectives: Advances in medical, surgical, and acute burn care have shifted burn care from survival alone to survivorship; such improvement can be accompanied by extensive morbidity and disability in chronicity not previously encountered. The epidemiological characteristics of patients treated at a burn rehabilitation center, in the context of evolving social and occupational environments, may provide insights into current trends and their clinical implications. Notably, updated epidemiological data reflecting these changes in burn injury patterns remain scarce worldwide. To date, no epidemiological data from a burn rehabilitation center have been reported in Taiwan. Therefore, this study aimed to bridge this gap by providing a recent epidemiological review from the perspective of a burn rehabilitation center. Materials and Methods: This is a single-center, retrospective cross-sectional study enrolling patients who sustained burn injuries between January 2016 and December 2023. Data were collected from medical records and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Results: A total of 143 patients were recruited, of whom 101 were male (70.6%). The mean age was 38.51 years (SD = 20.28), and the mean total body surface area (TBSA) burned was 20.83% (SD = 18.77). Flame burns were the most common etiology, accounting for 67 cases (46.9%). Among the 143 patients, 73 (51.0%) sustained work-related burns, which were associated with a higher incidence of eye involvement compared with non-work-related burns (28.8% vs. 14.3%, p = 0.036). The upper extremity was the most frequently involved anatomical site, affecting 98 patients (68.5%). Conclusions: The present findings highlight an underrecognized need for stronger safety measures that address both personal and environmental risk factors. Risk-reduction strategies should particularly account for the aging workforce and vulnerable anatomical sites to mitigate preventable human and economic losses.