Burn epidemiology: the patient, the nation, the statistics, and the data resources.

Throughout the years, bum care treatment in the United States has made major strides in the ability to save the lives of those once rendered helpless as a result of an extensive bum injury. Bum care professionals are able to assist these individuals to live as normal a life as possible as they heal from one of the most devastating injuries a human being can endure. The only way to remedy the suffering and the costs in health care resources and in productivity is to reduce the incidence of bum injuries and death. Communities must be concerned with consistently establishing preventive measures and with the proactive treatment of bums to help decrease incidence. Activities on the community, state, and national level to obtain accurate data regarding the epidemiologic characteristics must be implemented to provide a more accurate picture of bum injuries in the United States. Addressing issues surrounding the persons at high risk of bum injury will help to decrease the incidence of bum trauma. Funding must be strengthened to ensure the continued existence of bum programs that truly provide high-quality standards of care. In these programs, the burn victim is given every opportunity to become a survivor. In light of the recent terrorist activity in the United States, the nation must address another area that might affect the history of bum care and treatment, the multiple-trauma victim with an extensive burn injury caused by massive explosions, chemical warfare,missiles, and weapons of mass destruction. One out-come from the recent terrorist attack was recognition of the need for facilities to be capable of providing care for this type of patient. Efforts to strengthen these programs and bum care facilities must be continued to maintain and strengthen the care needed for bum patients of the future.