Age-specific epidemiological and clinical patterns of burn injuries: a retrospective cohort study with implications for domestic prevention

Abstract

This dataset and manuscript describe a retrospective observational cohort study of burn injuries recorded during the 2024–2025 study period in a specialized burn service. The study analyzes age distribution, burn mechanism, and burn extent expressed as percentage of total body surface area burned (%TBSA), with the aim of identifying clinically relevant and prevention-oriented injury patterns. After data cleaning, 224 included cases with analyzable information on burn mechanism were retained for analysis. Burn mechanisms were harmonized into six etiological categories: flame/explosion, scald/hot liquid, contact/thermal, chemical, electrical, and radiation/sun. Age was analyzed both as a continuous variable and by clinically relevant age groups: pediatric patients, adults, and older adults. Burn extent was assessed using %TBSA when available. The main findings highlight a clear age-related distribution of burn mechanisms. Flame/explosion burns represented the most frequent mechanism and were associated with greater mean burn extent among the major etiological categories. Scald/hot liquid burns represented the second major pattern and were concentrated among younger patients, suggesting a pediatric-leaning risk profile. These results support the interpretation that burn injuries in this specialized cohort follow recognizable epidemiological patterns rather than a random distribution across age groups. The study has relevant public health implications. Although the dataset did not include a systematically recorded variable identifying the precise setting of injury, several exposure descriptors and mechanisms were compatible with everyday activities commonly encountered in domestic, occupational, recreational, or other non-specialized environments. Therefore, the findings support the rationale for age-specific burn prevention strategies, including scald-prevention education for children and caregivers, safer handling of hot liquids, awareness of ignition-related hazards in adults, and environmental safety measures for older adults. The work also emphasizes the importance of improving future burn registries through standardized recording of injury setting, exposure circumstances, activity at the time of injury, anatomical site, burn depth, treatment course, and long-term outcomes. Such information would strengthen epidemiological surveillance and allow more precise prevention planning. This record is intended to support transparency, reproducibility, and dissemination of research on burn epidemiology, injury mechanisms, burn extent, and prevention-oriented public health strategies.