| Burns are responsible for about 3,000-5,000 deaths | | | | flames. Interestingly, most burns that occur to |
| per year in the United States (Merck, 2005; Oxbridge, | | | | military personnel happen in the civilian setting, while |
| 2008). In addition, 1 million emergency room visits are | | | | only 10% to 12% occur in battle. In rarer cases, burn |
| due to burn injury in the U.S. (Merck, 2005). Burn | | | | injury may be the result of physical child abuse |
| injury is linked to several recurring behaviors (risk | | | | (Oxbridge, 2008). |
| factors). These include careless behavior (smoking in | | | | The mortality rate from burn injury is related to the |
| bed), accidents (motor vehicle accidents), seizures, | | | | amount of burn figured in percentage of body |
| syncope, alcohol use, and psychiatric conditions. The | | | | surface area. Theoretically a 100% body surface area |
| more of these risk factors are present, the more | | | | burn is fatal, although very rare reports of survival do |
| likely an incident will occur. Most burns happen in the | | | | exist for patients receiving greater than 90% burn. |
| home, especially in the kitchen and bathroom where | | | | As technology improves, survival does as well. |
| scalds are most common in the very young or old. | | | | Improved resuscitation, better treatment of |
| Also kitchens and storage rooms are often the | | | | comorbidities, early excision, and new technologies |
| source for chemical injury (Oxbridge, 2008). | | | | for grafting wounds have helped to improve survival |
| The next most likely place for a burn injury to take | | | | rates. In the 1950s, a young adult with a 50% burn |
| place is the workplace, although occupational safety | | | | had a 50% chance of survival or death, while now a |
| requirements have reduced the risk. Occupations that | | | | similar burn has a mortality rate of only 5% to 10% |
| deal with fire (firefighters) are more likely to have | | | | (Oxbridge, 2008). Burn injury not only takes a toll on |
| this risk as well as workplaces that use chemicals in | | | | the patient's body, but other costs are involved as |
| production of certain materials (plating industry-acid | | | | well such as work-time lost, the cost for |
| burns; fertilizer production-acid or alkali burns; dye | | | | rehabilitation, employer compensation for time off |
| industry-phenol burns, petroleum industry-complex | | | | work, and the excessive need for family support |
| hydrocarbon chemical burns, etc.). Roadways are a | | | | both emotionally and physically to care for the |
| common site for burn injury due to motor vehicle | | | | patient until recovery. For each 1% body surface |
| accidents; and outdoors is a likely place as a result of | | | | area burned, 1 to 2 days of hospital admission may |
| things such as fireworks or inattention to open | | | | be required (Oxbridge, 2008). |