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Childhood burns in Ghana: epidemiological characteristics and home-based treatment
S N Forjuoh1, B Guyer, G S Smith
1Department of Maternal and Child Health, John Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Insights
Childhood burns in Ghana are primarily home-based, often caused by scalds and contact with hot objects. Improved first aid education and safe play areas are recommended to prevent these common childhood injuries.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Childhood burns represent a significant public health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
- Understanding the epidemiological patterns and home management practices of childhood burns is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of childhood burns in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
- To examine the home-based treatment practices for childhood burns in the same region.
Main Methods:
- A community-based, multisite survey was conducted.
- A questionnaire was administered to mothers of 630 children aged 0-5 years with a burn history.
- Data collected included sociodemographic information and circumstances surrounding the burn event.
Main Results:
- Ninety-two percent of burns occurred within the home, with kitchens and house yards being common locations.
- Scalds (45%), contact with hot objects (34%), and flame (20%) were the primary causes.
- While 30% of cases received 'cool' water as first aid, traditional preparations were a popular choice.
Conclusions:
- The high incidence of home-based burns, especially in kitchens and yards, highlights the need for targeted prevention efforts.
- Providing alternative play activities and community play areas may reduce burn occurrences.
- Intensified education on appropriate first aid for burns, emphasizing alternatives to traditional remedies, is recommended.
Abstract:
The objectives of this research were to study the epidemiological characteristics and home-based treatment of childhood burns in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Children aged 0-5 years with a burn history were identified through a community-based, multisite survey. A standard questionnaire was administered to mothers of 630 of these children to elicit information on their sociodemographic characteristics and the circumstances of the burn event. Ninety-two per cent of the burns occurred in the home, particularly in the kitchen (51 per cent) and the house yard (36 per cent), with most of them happening in the late morning and around the evening meal. The main causes of the burns were scalds (45 per cent), contact with a hot object (34 per cent) and flame (20 per cent). 'Cool' water was applied to the burned area in 30 per cent of cases. Otherwise, treatment with a traditional preparation was the most popular first-aid choice. Since a considerable proportion of burns happened between meals when children 'play with fire' in the house yard, the provision of alternative play activities and community play areas may reduce the incidence of burns to these children. Secondly, we recommend that education on first-aid management of burns be intensified, with special emphasis on alternatives to the use of traditional preparations.