Retracted: Racial and Gender Differences in Outcomes Among Older Burn Patients.

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate outcomes, including mortality rates, among older adult burn patients, with a focus on differences across race and gender. We hypothesize that African American patients and females would exhibit higher risks of mortality over a ten-year period. Using data from the TriNetX US Collaborative Network, we analyzed older adult patients (≥65 years) diagnosed with burn injuries (T31.0 - T31.9) from May 6, 2014, to May 6, 2024. To assess changes over time, patients were divided into two five-year intervals (2014-2019 and 2019-2024). Cohorts were stratified by race and gender, with propensity score matching applied to ensure comparability. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Among older patients diagnosed with burns, 56.15% were male, and 14.78% were African American. The overall mortality rate was 9.2%, with a reduction to 4.2% from 2019-2024. However, analysis by race revealed that while mortality rates declined overall, African American patients experienced a significant increase in mortality in the latter time period, with a 2.404 times higher mortality risk compared to white patients (20.2% vs. 8.4%, RR 95% CI 1.864-3.003, p=0.0002). Gender analysis showed that females had a 1.312 times higher mortality risk compared to males (10.1% vs. 7.7%, RR 95% CI 1.172-1.86, p<0.0001). These findings highlight the persistent racial and gender disparities in outcomes among older adult burn patients, despite an overall decline in mortality rates. Targeted interventions are needed to address these disparities and improve care management for vulnerable populations.