Adam Gyedu1, Barclay Stewart2, Charles Mock3, Easmon Otupiri4, Emmanuel Nakua4, Peter Donkor5, Beth E Ebel6. 1. Department of Surgery, School of Medical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana. Electronic address: drgyedu@gmail.com. 2. Department of Surgery, School of Medical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana; Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. 3. Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. 4. School of Public Health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. 5. Department of Surgery, School of Medical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana. 6. Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA; Departments of Pediatrics and Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, Wash, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Childhood burns are a leading cause of injury in low- and middle-income countries; most of which are preventable. We aimed to describe the prevalence of household risk factors for childhood burn injury (CBI) in semi-urban Ghana to inform prevention strategies for this growing population. METHODS: We conducted a population-based survey of 200 households in a semi-urban community in Ghana. Households were randomly selected from a list of 6520 households with children aged <18 years. Caregivers were interviewed about CBI within the past 6 months and potentially modifiable household risk factors. RESULTS: Of 6520 households, 3856 used charcoal for cooking (59%) and 3267 cooked indoors (50%). In 4544 households (70%), the stove/cooking surface was within reach of children under-five (i.e., <1m). Higher household wealth quintiles (OR 0.95; 95%CI 0.61-1.49) and increasing age (OR 0.82; 95%CI 0.68-0.99) were associated with lower odds of CBI. Living in uncompleted accommodation (OR 11.29; 95%CI 1.48-86.18 vs rented room) and cooking outside the house (OR 1.13; 95%CI 0.60-2.14 vs cooking indoors) were also predictive of CBI. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified a high prevalence of CBI risk factors in semi-urban households that may benefit from targeted community-based prevention initiatives.
OBJECTIVE: Childhood burns are a leading cause of injury in low- and middle-income countries; most of which are preventable. We aimed to describe the prevalence of household risk factors for childhood burn injury (CBI) in semi-urban Ghana to inform prevention strategies for this growing population. METHODS: We conducted a population-based survey of 200 households in a semi-urban community in Ghana. Households were randomly selected from a list of 6520 households with children aged <18 years. Caregivers were interviewed about CBI within the past 6 months and potentially modifiable household risk factors. RESULTS: Of 6520 households, 3856 used charcoal for cooking (59%) and 3267 cooked indoors (50%). In 4544 households (70%), the stove/cooking surface was within reach of children under-five (i.e., <1m). Higher household wealth quintiles (OR 0.95; 95%CI 0.61-1.49) and increasing age (OR 0.82; 95%CI 0.68-0.99) were associated with lower odds of CBI. Living in uncompleted accommodation (OR 11.29; 95%CI 1.48-86.18 vs rented room) and cooking outside the house (OR 1.13; 95%CI 0.60-2.14 vs cooking indoors) were also predictive of CBI. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified a high prevalence of CBI risk factors in semi-urban households that may benefit from targeted community-based prevention initiatives.
Authors: Barclay T Stewart; Evan Wong; Shailvi Gupta; Santosh Bastola; Sunil Shrestha; Adam L Kushner; Benedict C Nwomeh Journal: Surgery Date: 2015-05 Impact factor: 3.982
Authors: S N Forjuoh; B Guyer; D M Strobino; P M Keyl; M Diener-West; G S Smith Journal: J Epidemiol Community Health Date: 1995-04 Impact factor: 3.710