Skip to main content

Study Looks at Access to U.S. Burn Centers Using 2019 Data

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Feb 15, 2024.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 14, 2024 -- Access disparities to burn centers persist, with lower access in the South and West and for those with lower income, according to a research letter published online Feb. 14 in JAMA Surgery.

Dong Gi Hur, from the Stanford School of Medicine in California, and colleagues characterized access to American Burn Association (ABA)-verified and self-designated burn centers nationwide using 2019 Trauma Information Exchange Program data.

The researchers found that the total burn incidence rate increased by 11 percent to 257.2 per 100,000 people from 2013 to 2019. There was an increase observed in the number of burn centers to 133 (66 ABA verified) in 2019. Overall, 68.8 and 81.6 percent of the population had 60-minute access to ABA-verified and all burn centers, respectively. The median beds-to-incidence ratio was 8.1, with the highest and lowest ratios seen in New England and in the South and West, respectively. Populations with versus without 60-minute-transport access to ABA-verified and all burn centers had higher median income ($31,732 versus $26,440 and $30,797 versus $26,029, respectively). The proportion of racial and ethnic groups in Census Block Groups with 60-minute transport access to ABA-verified burn centers was 40, 86, 74, 74, 56, and 64 percent for American Indian, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native-Hawaiian, and White populations, respectively.

"In regions where geographic and market barriers prevent timely access, expanding telemedicine availability could increase initial assessment and resuscitation of burn injuries for more patients," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted February 2024

Read this next

BMI Cutoff of 30 for Obesity May Be Too High for Middle-Aged, Older Adults

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- The optimal body mass index (BMI) cutoff point appears to be 27 kg/m2 for detecting obesity in middle-aged and older adults, according to a study presented...

Emergency Inguinal Hernia Surgery Rates Increased With Lower Country Income

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- For patients undergoing inguinal hernia surgery, emergency surgery rates increase from high- to low-income countries, according to a study published online...

Maternal Serum Alpha-Fetoprotein Levels Higher in Black Than White Women

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels are higher in Black than White pregnant women, supporting the use of accounting for these differences in...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.