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A total of 2,351 burn-related admissions were recorded across 13 Australian tertiary hospitals contributing to BRANZ in 2023/24

This represents a 3.0% reduction from 2,423 admissions in 2022/23

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population:

• Comprised 147 patients (6.3% of total cohort) in 2023/24

• Demonstrating a significant decrease from 238 patients (9.8%) in 2022/23

Previous Reporting Periods

• 2022/23: 2,423 burn admissions in Australia
  • 10.6% decrease from 2,716 admissions in 2021/22
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: 238 patients (9.8%)
• 2021/22: 2,716 burn admissions in Australia

The most striking trend in the 2023/24 data is the 39.3% reduction in burn injuries among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (from 238 to 147 patients). Their representation among burn patients also decreased from 9.8% to 6.3% of total Australian admissions.

Total burn admissions: 2,802 patients across 17 reporting burn centers

Adult patients (≥16 years): 2,153 (76.9%)

• Median age: 42 years

• Male: 70.6%

• Flame burns: 42.9% of cases

• Median hospital stay: 5.2 days

Previous reporting period (2022/23):

Adult patients: 2,209 (74.4% of total admissions)

• 41.3% of adult burns were due to flame injuries

The 2023/24 data demonstrates a 2.5% decrease in adult burn cases from the previous year (2,209 to 2,153), despite adult patients representing a higher proportion of total admissions (76.9% compared to 74.4% in 2022/23). The predominance of flame burns among adult patients increased slightly from 41.3% to 42.9%. These changes occurred within the context of an overall 5.6% reduction in total burn admissions across Australia and New Zealand

Pediatric patients (<16 years): 648 (23.1%)

• Median age: 3 years
• Male: 61.7%
• Scalds: 51.4% of cases
• Median hospital stay: 2.1 days

Previous reporting period (2022/23):

• Pediatric patients: 760 (25.6% of total admissions)

Pediatric burn injuries exhibited a substantial 14.7% decrease from 760 cases in 2022/23 to 648 in 2023/24. Their proportion of total burn admissions correspondingly declined from 25.6% to 23.1%. Scalds remained the primary mechanism of injury at 51.4%, with children under 3 years particularly vulnerable to these injuries. The significant reduction in pediatric burn cases may reflect successful prevention initiatives targeting families with young children, improved parental awareness of burn hazards, or enhanced safety measures in home environments where 74.2% of pediatric burns occur.

Cause of Injury (All Patients)

• During 2023/24 the most common cause of injury across all patients was flame burns (35%), followed by scalds (33%), and contact burns (16%).

Cause of Injury (Paediatric Patients)

• The most common cause of injury among paediatric patients during the 2023/24 reporting period was scalds (51%), followed by contact burns (24%), and friction burns (12%).

Cause of Injury (Adult Patients)

• The most common cause of injury among adult patients during the 2023/24 reporting period was flame burns (43%), followed by scalds (27%), and contact burns (13%).

Burns cooling is critical in initial first aid, reducing burn area and depth. In 2023/24:

• 76.0% of patients received some form of first aid
• 85.5% of pediatric vs. 71.8% of adult patients received first aid
• Gold standard first aid (20+ minutes of cool running water within 3 hours) was applied to 59.5% of patients (down from 59.8% in 2022/23)
• 75.8% of pediatric vs. 54.2% of adult patients received gold standard first aid

Patients lacking optimal first aid:

• 24.2% of children (≈148 patients)
• 45.8% of adults (≈873 patients)

Gold standard first aid has declined from 64.3% (2016/17) to 59.5% (2023/24), while patients receiving no first aid increased from 19.9% to 24.9% over the same period.

Surgical Interventions:

• 70.7% of all patients underwent a burn wound management procedure in theatre
• 65.7% of patients received a skin graft
• Median time from injury to first grafting: 8.6 days
• Australian patients: 70.2% underwent procedures, 68.9% of these received skin grafts
• Adults: 69.2% underwent procedures, 70.7% of these received skin grafts
• Children: 75.8% underwent procedures, 50.7% of these received skin grafts
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: 67.3% underwent procedures, 53.5% of these received skin grafts

Previous reporting period (2022/23):

• Adults: 73% underwent burn wound procedures in theatre
• Children: 79.2% underwent burn wound procedures in theatre

A declining trend in surgical interventions for both adult and pediatric populations. Adult procedure rates decreased from 73% to 69.2% (3.8 percentage point reduction), while pediatric rates fell from 79.2% to 75.8% (3.4 percentage point reduction).

In-Hospital Mortality (2023/24)

• Australia: 1.6% in-hospital deaths
• New Zealand: <1% in-hospital deaths
• Overall demographic breakdown:
  • Adult patients: 1.9%
  • Pediatric patients: 0%
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: 0%
  • Māori: 0%

In-hospital deaths 2022-2023

• Adults: 2.3% in-hospital deaths
• Pediatric patients: <1% in-hospital deaths

Analysis of mortality data shows a positive trend with decreasing in-hospital death rates across all populations. The adult mortality rate decreased from 2.3% to 1.9%, representing a 17.4% relative reduction. Pediatric mortality remains extremely low at 0% for the current reporting period. The absence of recorded deaths among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Māori patients is particularly noteworthy given the historically higher risk profiles in these populations.

The median hospital stay length in Australia and New Zealand Burn Sites:

• Overall: 4.7 (median)
• Major burns: 19.3
• Australia: 4.1
• Adults: 5.2
• Children: 2.1
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: 4.8

Referral Patterns (2023/24) Consistent with previous reports, approximately half of both pediatric and adult patients were transferred to a specialist burn service via another hospital:

Pediatric patients (0-15 Years):

• 49.2% referred from other hospitals
• 15.7% arrived via ambulance directly from the scene
• 17.1% were self-presentations

Adult patients (16+ Years):

• 48.2% referred from other hospitals
• 25.0% arrived via ambulance directly from the scene
• 7.4% were self-presentations

Home or usual residence:

• Overall: 59.8% of all burn injuries
• Children: 74.0% of pediatric burns
• Adults: 55.0% of adult burns
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: 54.5% of burns

Other common locations:

Children:

• Place for recreation: 9.0%
• Other specified place: 7.0%
• Other residence: 5.0%
• Street and highway: 5.0%

Adults:

• Trade, services, industrial, or construction area: 15.0%
• Other specified place: 9.0%
• Place for recreation: 8.0%
• Street and highway: 8.0%
• Other residence: 6.0%

Analysis of the 2023/24 data shows significant changes in burn injury locations compared to previous reporting periods. The proportion of adult burns occurring at home decreased from 57.5% to 55.0%, while for children it decreased from 75.6% to 74.0%. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples showed the most substantial location shift, with home-based injuries decreasing from 61.2% to 54.5%.

Males continue to be at higher risk of burn injuries:

• Overall (Australia and New Zealand): 68.6% male, making males 2.18 times more likely to sustain burns
• Australia: 69.0% male, making males 2.23 times more likely to sustain burns
• Adults: 70.6% male, making males 2.40 times more likely to sustain burns
• Children: 61.7% male, making males 1.61 times more likely to sustain burns
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: 67.3% male, making males 2.06 times more likely to sustain burns
• Māori: 67.6% male, making males 2.09 times more likely to sustain burns

Previous Gender Data (2022/23)

• Australia: Males were 2.11 times more likely to sustain burns
• Adults: Males were 2.31 times more likely to sustain burns
• Children: Males were 1.53 times more likely to sustain burns

In Australia, the male-to-female burn injury ratio increased from 2.11 to 2.23. This trend is more pronounced in adult populations (2.31 to 2.40) compared to pediatric patients (1.53 to 1.61). 

In Western Australia in 2019, there were 1,307 hospitalisations for burns and scalds, consuming an estimated 6,263 bed days at an approximate cost of $12,846,798.

1. Injury Matters. (2020). Incidence and costs of injury in WA. Perth: Department of Health, Western Australia.

Estimated treatment costs (adult patients):

• For small burns (≤10% TBSA): approximately $188,235-$228,571 per adult patient
• For severe burns (>40% TBSA): approximately $1,011,765-$1,228,571 per adult patient

ReCell treatment savings (adult patients):

• ReCell reduces treatment costs by 14-17% at burns treatment centers
• For small burns (≤10% TBSA): approximately $32,000 savings per adult patient
• For severe burns (>40% TBSA): up to $172,000 savings per adult patient

2. Derived from Deloitte Access Economics. (2022). Economic value of the health and medical research sector in Western Australia. Perth: Research Australia. (Based on ReCell cost savings data for adult patients)## Gender Distribution (2023/24)