Childhood burns : emerging evidence for preventive action and policy in South Africa

Burn injuries are a serious health threat to young children. Apart from causing death, thermal injuries may result in painful long-term effects, including disabling scars not only to the skin or body of the child, but also to his or her psyche. In South Africa, burn injury has been reported as a persisting threat predominantly affecting children from low-income settings. It is estimated that more than 1300 young children from low-income settings die every year as a result of preventable burn injuries. In response to this phenomenon, South African research has investigated the clinical profile and management of burn injuries, provided descriptions of the epidemiology of burn injuries, and initiated discussions on injury prevention. Despite the increasing scientific interest in these injuries, there remains a paucity of coordinated, systematic and evaluated prevention interventions. A number of promising public health interventions aimed at the reduction of the incidence, risks and deleterious outcomes of thermal injury have been recently implemented. This paper reports on recent South African investigations, and emerging prevention interventions.