Grass-skirt burns in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

A retrospective survey of burn cases admitted to Alotau Hospital, Papua New Guinea, over a four-year period showed that 48% were due to grass-skirt burns. Most of these occurred in young girls and usually caused full-thickness burns of the buttocks and thigh. The commonest long-term complications were contractures of the hips and knees. The next most common cause of burns was a fall into a fire during an epileptic fit (24%). None of the patients were on anticonvulsants. The population needs to be informed of the dangers of leaving children near open fires, of the value of bundling up children whose grass-skirts catch fire to smother the flames, of the importance of anticonvulsants to chronic epileptics, and of the advantages of seeking medical treatment when burns occur.