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Review
. 2017 Mar;7(1):30-37.
doi: 10.1016/j.afjem.2017.01.006. Epub 2017 Jan 28.

A systematic review of burn injuries in low- and middle-income countries: Epidemiology in the WHO-defined African Region

Megan M Rybarczyk  1 , Jesse M Schafer  2 , Courtney M Elm  3 , Shashank Sarvepalli  4 , Pavan A Vaswani  5 , Kamna S Balhara  6 , Lucas C Carlson  7 , Gabrielle A Jacquet  1   8   9
Affiliations
Review

A systematic review of burn injuries in low- and middle-income countries: Epidemiology in the WHO-defined African Region

Megan M Rybarczyk et al. Afr J Emerg Med. 2017 Mar.

Abstract
in English, French

Introduction: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), burns result in the loss of approximately 18 million disability adjusted life years (DALYs) and more than 250,000 deaths each year, more than 90% of which are in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The epidemiology of these injuries, especially in the WHO-defined African Region, has yet to be adequately defined.

Methods: We performed a systematic review of the literature regarding the epidemiology of thermal, chemical, and electrical burns in the WHO-defined African Region. All articles indexed in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Global Health, and the Cochrane Library databases as of October 2015 were included.

Results: The search resulted in 12,568 potential abstracts. Through multiple rounds of screening using criteria determined a priori, 81 manuscripts with hospital-based epidemiology as well as eleven manuscripts that included population-based epidemiology were identified. Although the studies varied in methodology, several trends were noted: young children appear to be at most risk; most individuals were burned at home; and hot liquids and flame are the most common aetiologies.

Discussion: While more population-based research is essential to identifying specific risk factors for targeted prevention strategies, our review identifies consistent trends for initial efforts at eliminating these often devastating and avoidable injuries.

Introduction: Selon l'Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS), les brûlures résultent sur la perte d'environ 18 millions d'années de vie corrigées du facteur d'invalidité (AVCI) et sur plus de 250 000 décès chaque année, plus de 90% se produisant dans les pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire (PRFI). L'épidémiologie de ces blessures, notamment dans la région africaine de l'OMS, reste encore à définir adéquatement.

Méthodes: Nous avons procédé à une revue systématique de la documentation relative à l'épidémiologie des brûlures thermiques, chimiques et électriques dans la région africaine de l'OMS. Tous les articles indexés dans les bases de données de PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Global Health et de la Cochrane Library à compter d'octobre 2015 ont été inclus.

Résultats: La recherche a produit 12 568 résumés potentiels. Par le biais de plusieurs séries de tri à l'aide de critères déterminés a priori, 81 manuscripts fournissant une épidémiologie dans le cadre hospitalier ainsi que 11 manuscripts incluant une épidémiologie basée sur la population ont été identifiés. Bien que les études variaient dans leur méthodologie, plusieurs tendances ont été observées: les jeunes enfants semblent constituer la population la plus à risque; la plupart des individus étaient brûlés à la maison; et les liquides chauds et les flammes constituent les étiologies les plus courantes.

Discussion: Si des études davantage basées sur la population sont essentielles pour identifier les facteurs de risque spécifiques en vue de stratégies de prévention ciblées, notre revue identifie des tendances constantes pour les efforts initiaux visant à éliminer ces blessures souvent dévastatrices et évitables.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flowchart of the systematic review process.
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