@article{ref1,
title="A 20-year (1996-2015) trend in deaths as a result of burns in the Transkei subregion of South Africa",
journal="Medicine, science, and the law",
year="2018",
author="Meel, Banwari L.",
volume="58",
number="3",
pages="168-175",
abstract="Background Deaths as a result of burns are unrecognised, under-reported and therefore under-estimated, especially in rural areas such as the Transkei subregion of South Africa. Burning to death is painful and preventable. <br><br>OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate a 20-year trend in deaths as a result of burns in the Transkei subregion of South Africa. <br><br>METHOD A record review descriptive study was undertaken of all medico-legal autopsies performed from 1996 to 2015 at Mthatha Forensic Pathology Laboratory. <br><br>RESULTS In total 22,952 medico-legal autopsies were conducted at Mthatha Forensic Pathology Laboratory from 1996 to 2015. Of these, 689 (3%) were burn related. This gives an average of eight deaths resulting from burns per 100,000 of the population annually in this region. The highest rate (11.6/100,000) was recorded in 2007, and the lowest (3.3/100,000) in 2004. Males outnumbered females at a ratio of 1.6:1. Young children of aged 10 years old or younger accounted for 130 of the victims, amounting to a death rate of 1.51/100,000. <br><br>CONCLUSION The number of deaths as a result of burning has more than doubled in the last 20 years (1996-2015) in the Transkei subregion of South Africa. Action to prevent these deaths is urgently required.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0025-8024",
doi="10.1177/0025802418776129",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0025802418776129"
}