Evaluating Burn Injuries at the University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals Complex, Freetown

Abstract

Background: As with most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), burns are a major public health problem in Sierra Leone, yet they are poorly studied. This retrospective study of burn injuries at the Connaught Hospital unit of the University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals Complex aims to bridge this gap by examining the patterns and outcomes of burn injuries over a two-year period and comparing these findings with previous studies from the same region. Methods:  A total of 146 patients were included in the study over a two-year period from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022. Results: The 146 patients seen during the study period represented an average rate of 1.39 cases per week. The median age was 3.9 years (range: 2 months to 56 years) with 59.4% male involvement. Eighty percent suffered from scalds, mostly from hot water. The modal percentage of Total Body Surface Area (%TBSA) affected was 10% (range: 1–75%), and 68.1% had superficial partial thickness burns. The %TBSA of scalds was significantly smaller than that of flame burns. The most common complication was anaemia. Conclusions: Burns continue to pose a significant challenge in Sierra Leone and the situation has not changed significantly over the past decade. There is a need to institute burn preventive measures in the country and to have dedicated functioning burns units to address this common public health problem.