An Area-Level Study on Paediatric Burn Injuries and Their Association With Parental Education.

Introduction: This study aims to investigate the association between young children receiving hospital treatment for burn injuries and their parents' education levels.

Method: A retrospective register study collected data using diagnostic codes (T20-T25 and T29) for children seeking emergency medical care for burn injuries between 2018 and 2022. T20-T25 and T29 refer to burn injuries, where each number specifies the affected body region. An additional selection was made using ICD code chapters S and T for overall injury-related hospital care. The inclusion criteria for this study were children aged 0-6 years who had received emergency or specialised care at Queen Silvia Children's Hospital. The education levels of parents, as well as those of children who received care at the hospital, were grouped and aggregated at the area level. Parental education level data were obtained from Gothenburg's public statistical database to determine education levels in the city's areas. The mean of these two variables was calculated, and a simple linear regression was conducted. Data were aggregated and analysed at the intermediate area level rather than the individual level.

Results: The results showed an association between children's burn injuries and parents' education levels; however, parental education level and overall injury-related hospital care were not associated with eachother.

Conclusions: This study demonstrated an association between burn injuries and parental education levels, which needs consideration in clinical practice and future research. Future efforts should explore targeted health literacy and parental support interventions in low-education areas.