Epidemiology and Management of Burn Injuries

Burn injuries remain a major source of mortality and morbidity worldwide, accounting for a substantial share of trauma-related disability. Patterns of injury vary across age, geography and socioeconomic status, with the highest incidence among young children in lower–middle income regions and working adults in industrial settings. Although age-standardised incidence and mortality rates have declined in many high-income countries owing to prevention measures and improved acute care, the absolute number of new cases continues to rise in areas facing socio-economic challenges. Key determinants of outcome include the extent of total body surface area affected, depth of tissue injury and the presence of inhalation injury, all of which shape the clinical trajectory from acute resuscitation to long-term recovery.

Management of burn injuries demands a multidisciplinary approach that spans immediate first aid through to rehabilitation. Initial care focuses on rapid cooling of the wound and fluid resuscitation guided by established formulas to counteract hypovolaemia. Wound-care strategies range from early excision and grafting to the application of biosynthetic dressings and negative-pressure therapy, aiming to reduce infection and optimise healing. Comprehensive rehabilitation encompasses physical therapy, scar management and psychosocial support to address functional impairment and long-term quality of life. Emerging technologies in skin bioengineering and predictive modelling promise to refine patient-centred care pathways and resource allocation in diverse healthcare settings.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have provided new insights into the evolving epidemiology and outcomes of hospitalised burn patients in distinct populations. A retrospective analysis in Catalonia spanning 2011 to 2018 documented a slight decrease in incidence and severity alongside an ageing cohort with increased comorbidity. Scalding remains the leading mechanism of injury, and factors such as advanced age, smoke inhalation, high severity index scores and greater burn extent were associated with increased mortality. Complementary data from a high-volume burn centre in Southwest China covering 2011 to 2015 highlighted seasonal peaks in autumn, a predominance of paediatric scald injuries, and a strong link between full-thickness depth, larger surface area and adverse outcomes. Together, these findings emphasise the need for regionally tailored prevention strategies and the optimisation of surgical and critical care pathways.

Epidemiology and Management of Burn Injuries publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in epidemiology and management of burn injuries across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Total body surface area (TBSA): the proportion of the patient’s skin affected by burns, expressed as a percentage.

Full-thickness burn: a burn that extends through the entire dermis, often requiring surgical intervention for wound closure.

Abbreviated Burn Severity Index (ABSI): a clinical score combining age, burn size, inhalation injury and gender to predict mortality risk.

Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs): a measure of overall disease burden that accounts for years of life lost and years lived with disability.

Inhalation injury: damage to the respiratory tract caused by inhalation of smoke or hot gases, significantly increasing morbidity.

Scald: a type of burn injury resulting from contact with hot liquids or steam.

References

1. Country economic status is strongly associated with burn survival - validation of the (modified) ABSI. International Journal for Equity in Health (2025).
2. Epidemiology and mortality in patients hospitalized for burns in Catalonia, Spain. Scientific Reports (2023).
3. Analysis of anatomic location of burns inpatients in China from 2009 to 2018. BMC Public Health (2024).
4. Epidemiology of injuries from fire, heat and hot substances: global, regional and national morbidity and mortality estimates from the Global Burden of Disease 2017 study. Injury Prevention (2019).
5. Epidemiology and outcome analysis of 6325 burn patients: a five-year retrospective study in a major burn center in Southwest China. Scientific Reports (2017).