Key components for responding to burn mass casualty incidents: a comprehensive systematic literature review

Abstract

Effective management of burn mass casualty incidents (BMCIs) requires coordinated systems that include early stabilization, definitive burn care, surge capacity, and rehabilitation, supported by adequate infrastructure and workforce capacity. Although different countries have national guidelines, the full synthesis of the components of the health system needed by BMCIs response remains limited. This study aimed to systematically identify and classify the key components of the response to BMCIs. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify and synthesize the key components required for effective response to BMCIs. A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024625737). This research was conducted through a systematic review and searches of the databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was used for systematic search, and a Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used for quality assessment of final extracted articles. From an initial set of 7,975 articles, 27 studies were included for analysis. The key components for responding to BMCIs were analyzed in 5 categories and 36 subcategories. The primary themes and related main categories included: (1) Preparedness and Prevention; (2) Command, Control, Coordination, and Communication; (3) Prehospital and Transport Management; (4) Hospital and Surge Capacity Management; and (5) Clinical and Supportive Care. This review provides a comprehensive, evidence-informed framework outlining essential health system components for effective BMCIs response. The identified domains may guide the development of national and regional response models, strengthen disaster preparedness, and enhance health system resilience to BMCIs scenarios.