Profile of Deaths Due to Burns in Mortuary of a Tertiary Care Hospital

Burn injuries are one of the commonest causes of fatality and morbidity today. These injuries, however preventable, constitute a major cause of death throughout world. Estimation of incidence of burns is difficult to obtain for our country due to its huge and diversely composed population. Unfortunately, no national figures are available for India. But the number is likely to be high due to various socio-economic & cultural factors. So, study such as ours helps in understanding the role of various factors in causation of burn injuries.

The present study was carried out in the Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, from 5^th November 2011 to 5^th November 2013. Of the 486 cases reported of death due to burns, randomly 100 cases were selected for this study.

In the present study, Incidence of burns among autopsy cases was 152 per 1000 per year during 1^styr of study and 170 per 1000 per yr during 2^ndyear of study. Commonest age group affected was 21–30 years (41%). Females were the most common victims (65%). Housewives constituted largest population, amounting to nearly 54%. The male to female ratio was 1: 1.7. 83% cases were from rural habitat and 17% from urban. Maximum victims had burns to the extent of 91–100% of Total Body Surface Area (44%).

To minimize burn mortalities and burn incidences, the government along with various bodies needs to come together with more sincere efforts.