Citation

Zissman S, Orgil M, Ben-Amotz O, Gur E, Arad E, Leshem D. Burns 2018; 44(5): 1322-1329.

Affiliation

Pediatric & Craniofacial Plastic Surgery Unit, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel. Electronic address: davidle@tlvmc.gov.il.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.burns.2018.02.027

PMID

29605224

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Burn injuries are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population. In early childhood, burns have a wide range of adverse long-term consequences ranging from functional impairment to psychological implications. Children from low-income and middle-income countries are at a higher risk of suffering from burn injuries. In the last 10 years the population of asylum seekers from low-income countries in Israel has increased dramatically. About 25,000 or 60% of asylum seekers are living in the Tel Aviv area, making up roughly 6% of the city's total population (about 405,000).

AIM: A retrospective study aimed to profile the pediatric burn injuries treated at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center over the last 9 years in an effort to examine the distinct characteristics of African asylum seekers who suffer burn injuries in comparison with Israeli nationals. PATIENTS & METHODS: Medical records of 876 patients under the age of 18 years presenting between 2007-2015 were retrospectively reviewed. The parameters collected included gender, causality, total body surface area (TBSA), burn depth and patient outcome.

CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference regarding: age; male-female ratio; scald-types burns; limb involvement. However, hospitalization and length of hospital stay were significantly higher among asylum seekers, as was family burden. Questions may be raised regarding prevention, education & social support. Our research provides a small glimpse into the world of asylum seekers in Israel. We hope it will serve as a window into the much grander problems that this population faces on a daily basis.

Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Language: en

Keywords

Asylum seekers gender; Burn injuries; Casualty; Depth of burn and patient outcome; Hospitality stay & rate; Israeli native; Pediatric population; Total body surface area (TBSA)