Talk Description
Institution: Te Whatu Ora Waikato - Waikato, Aotearoa New Zealand
Introduction: Ethnic minorities and Indigenous populations experience significant disparities in the prevention and treatment of burn injuries. However, research focused on burn injuries in Indigenous populations, such as the Māori of Aotearoa New Zealand, remains limited. This study aims to review the incidence and clinical outcomes of facial and neck burn injuries for Māori compared to other ethnicities.
Methodology: We conducted a retrospective review of all burn patients referred to the Waikato Hospital Plastics Surgery unit between 1st January 2024 till 31st December 2024. Data collected included demographics, burn characteristics (%TBSA, depth, mechanism), comorbidities, and length of stay. Ethnicity was self-identified. Primary outcomes were the incidence of facial/neck burns and hospital admission rates.
Results: Among 593 burn patients, 107 (18.0%) had facial/neck burns. Māori were overrepresented in this group, comprising 41.1% (44/107). Of the 47 patients admitted for facial/neck burns, 53% (25/47) were Māori. Admitted Māori patients were younger (mean age 21.8 vs. 27.3 years in non Maori) and had a higher mean %TBSA (6.41% vs. 5.05%) than non-Māori. A key contributing factor was the distance to the specialist center, with a significant number of Māori referrals coming from distant rural areas like Whakatane (2.5 hours) and Gisborne (5 hours).
Conclusion: This study identifies a clear inequity where Māori experience a higher incidence, greater severity, and younger age of facial and neck burns. Geographical barriers to timely specialist care appear to be a major contributing factor, highlighting an urgent need for targeted interventions to improve equity in burn care.
Presenters
Authors
Authors
Dr Novell Shu Chyng Teoh -
