2025/09/05 by Asnake Gashaw Belayneh1, Ousman Adal1
paper · doi:10.20372/nadre:17256
Abstract<br> Introduction: Burn injuries impose a substantial burden globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries<br> like Ethiopia, where the impact is pronounced. Despite existing studies on individual patient data, there ’s a lack<br> of synthesized evidence on burn injury mortality in Ethiopia. This study aimed to evaluate the combined prevalence of burn-related mortality and its determinants in Ethiopian hospitals.<br> Methods: A systematic search of various databases yielded 11 relevant studies, which were included in the analysis.<br> Data extraction and quality assessment were conducted using Microsoft Excel 2021 and the Newcastle-Ottawa<br> Scale, respectively. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA version 17 software.<br> Result: The pooled mortality rate among burn patients in Ethiopian hospitals was determined to be 6.99%<br> (95% CI: 4.8, 9.41). Factors significantly associated with mortality included inadequate resuscitation<br> (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 3.73, 95% CI: 1.31, 10.58), pre-existing illness (AOR: 5.26, 95% CI: 2.12,<br> 13.07), age <5 or >60 (AOR: 2.22, 95% CI: 1.45, 3.40), and burn injury >20% total body surface area (AOR:<br> 5.17, 95% CI: 2.47, 10.80).<br> Conclusion: The findings underscore a notably high prevalence of burn-related mortality in Ethiopia, with<br> inadequate fluid resuscitation, pre-existing illness, extreme age, and the extent of injury identified as key<br> determinants. Collaboration among healthcare stakeholders and policymakers is imperative to improve burn<br> care services and mitigate the impact of these injuries. This study was registered with PROSPERO<br> (CRD42023494159), providing a comprehensive overview of burn injury mortality in Ethiopia.<br>