Increasing numbers of admissions to the adult burns service at the Royal Adelaide Hospital 2001-2004.

BACKGROUND

The purpose of the study was to illustrate the increasing trend in the number of adult burns patients admitted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital and attempt to explain it and to describe the burn patients admitted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital in terms of age, sex, origin, cause and burn size, particularly since the increasing trend began, in an effort to identify a particular group or burn cause, which may make up a large proportion of the increasing numbers.

METHODS

A retrospective review of 1548 acute burn-injured patients using information from the burns unit database between 1996 and 2004 was carried out.

RESULTS

Of 1841 total admissions, 1548 were admitted for acute burn injury. There has been an increase in the number of admissions since 2001 amounting to approximately 20% per annum. The cumulative rise in total admissions 2000-2004 is 107% where the increase in acute burn admission in the same period is 82%. There appears to be no difference whether the patient is from a rural or a metropolitan area. Burns of <10% total body surface area constitute most of the increase and are mainly flame and scald injuries. Chemical and contact burns are proportionately increasing.

CONCLUSION

The increase in acute admissions is mainly due to the increasing presentation of smaller burns to the unit. The statewide rural burn education programme and media exposure following the 2002 Bali bombings may have contributed to the increase in acute admissions.