Epidemiological profile of pediatric burn victims in the city of São Paulo

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Burns injuries are a significant health problem because they cause permanent or long lasting sequelae. OBJECTIVE: To characterize burn injuries, occurring among children and adolescents living in the city of Sao Paulo, and to identify the profile of pediatric patients treated for burn injuries. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional, quantitative, descriptive and retrospective study. A survey was carried out using data from the Information System for Violence and Accident Surveillance (SIVVA) of the Municipal Health Department of the city of Sao Paulo, where the reports of accidents against children and adolescents (0 to 19-years-old). RESULTS: During the study period, there were 416 burn injuries among children and adolescents living in the city of Sao Paulo. The main lesion diagnoses were: degree II burn (41.6%), the body region being more affected by wrist and hand. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that there was a higher frequency of burns among boys, preschoolers and the domestic environment. It emphasizes the importance of epidemiological researches in the subject because they can support preventive strategies, especially in the period of childhood and adolescence.