@article{ref1,
title="An increase in electrical burns during the Covid lockdown in Western Cape, South Africa",
journal="Burns: journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries",
year="2024",
author="MacQuene, Tamlyn and Kleintjes, Wayne and Nieuwoudt, Willa and Camp, Sarah and Lydon, Georgia and Chu, Kathryn",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="BACKGROUND: A severe Covid lockdown in South Africa may have changed burn patterns due to the downturn of the economy and stay-at-home policies. We describe the volume and type of burn admitted to a tertiary hospital before and during the Covid lockdown. <br><br>MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study from before (April 2019-March 2020) and during (April 2020-March 2021) the Covid pandemic. Patient demographics, burn etiology, and clinical outcomes were described. Logistic regression was used to model associations between burn etiology and the Covid period. <br><br>RESULTS: Of 544 burns, 254 (46.7%) occurred before and 290 (53.3%, p = 0.051) during Covid. The proportion of electrical burns doubled during Covid n = 20, 32.3% vs n = 42, 67.7%, (p = 0.053) periods. At least half were associated with suspected cable or copper theft. On multivariate analysis, flame burns (OR=2.42, p < 0.001), electrical burns (OR=4.88, p < 0.001), and paying patients (OR=4.21, p < 0.001) were more likely to be associated with the Covid period. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Electrical burns doubled during Covid, potentially related to an increase in cable and copper wire theft, a phenomenon described during hard economic times in other settings. More studies to understand this potential relationship are indicated to prepare burn centers during future pandemics and/or economic hardship.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0305-4179",
doi="10.1016/j.burns.2024.02.011",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.burns.2024.02.011"
}