Our challenge

The impact of burns

Burns are a life-altering event that changes lives in an instant. They cause immediate and long-term trauma to mind and body and are arguably the most painful, unique, and complex injury a human can suffer. At the Fiona Wood Foundation, we understand that scars are more than skin deep; they influence an individual's physical, psychological, and physiological well-being.

Burns Registry of Australia and New Zealand (BRANZ)

BRANZ  is a vital clinical quality registry established to collect comprehensive data on all burn patients admitted to specialised burn units. Managed by Monash University's School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, BRANZ monitors burn injury patterns, causation, treatment, and outcomes across 17 designated burn units in Australia and New Zealand, with 13 of these located in Australia, including Western Australia's Adult Burn Service at Fiona Stanley Hospital and Perth Children's HospitaL.

Below we provide key statistics from the 15th BRANZ annual report that document burn injuries in Australia and New Zealand, highlighting why our work remains so vital.

The Ongoing Challenge

The consistency in burn injury patterns revealed by BRANZ data presents compelling evidence for both challenges and opportunities. With 76.9% of burn patients being adults and 23.1% children, targeted prevention strategies must address the unique risk profiles of each demographic. Adult males remain significantly overrepresented, accounting for 68.6% of all cases across Australia and New Zealand.

Year after year, BRANZ data reveals stubbornly consistent burn incidence rates. Across the eight hospitals that consistently report to the registry, more than 2,000 serious burn hospitalisations are recorded annually. Despite ongoing prevention efforts, BRANZ’s 15-year reporting history shows little variation in these figures. These numbers, however, do not fully reflect the true burden of burn injury in the community, as many cases are managed outside specialist units or go unreported altogether, particularly in regional and remote area

First aid knowledge continues to be a critical priority. Following a burn, adequate immediate first aid appreciably determines outcome, limiting tissue damage and subsequent morbidity including the need for surgery. In 2023-2024, 40.5% of patients failed to receive gold standard treatment, with only 59.5% receiving the recommended 20 minutes of cool running water within three hours of injury. This gap in proper first aid significantly affects recovery outcomes, with patients in very remote regions of Australia at greater risk. Despite the guidelines being relatively simple, knowledge of correct burn first aid remains variable among both parents and clinicians alike, creating a critical education challenge particularly for vulnerable populations like older adults, where 40% of patients aged 80+ years received no first aid whatsoever.

In Australia, 93.3% of burn injuries are unintentional, yet most or all of these injuries are preventable. These injuries occur predominantly in predictable settings, with 59.8% happening in homes, a figure that rises dramatically to 74% for paediatric burns. The cause profile has shown negligible change over reporting periods, with flame burns at 35%, scalds at 33% and contact burns at 16% consistently dominating the statistics.

Below are key findings from the 15th BRANZ Annual Report, offering important insights into the prevalence, causes, and impact of burn injuries across Australia and New Zealand and reinforcing the continued importance of our work.

What the stats tell us

BRANZ Report Australia & New Zealand | July 2023 – 30 June 2024

Picture of A TOTAL OF 2,351 AUSTRALIAN PATIENTS

A TOTAL OF 2,351 AUSTRALIAN PATIENTS

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.

Picture of 2,153 ADULT BURN PATIENTS

2,153 ADULT BURN PATIENTS

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

Picture of 648 PAEDIATRIC PATIENTS

648 PAEDIATRIC PATIENTS

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.

Picture of FLAME BURNS (35%) WERE THE LEADING CAUSE OF INJURY

FLAME BURNS (35%) WERE THE LEADING CAUSE OF INJURY

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%).
Picture of 75.8% OF PAEDIATRIC PATIENTS AND 54.2% OF ADULT PATIENTS

75.8% OF PAEDIATRIC PATIENTS AND 54.2% OF ADULT PATIENTS

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.

Picture of 70.2% OF AUSTRALIAN BURN PATIENTS UNDERWENT A SURGICAL INTERVENTION OR WOUND PROCEDURE.

70.2% OF AUSTRALIAN BURN PATIENTS UNDERWENT A SURGICAL INTERVENTION OR WOUND PROCEDURE.

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).

Picture of IN-HOSPITAL MORTALITY IN AUSTRALIA DROPS FROM 2.1% TO 1.6%

IN-HOSPITAL MORTALITY IN AUSTRALIA DROPS FROM 2.1% TO 1.6%

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.

 

Picture of 4.1 DAYS MEDIAN HOSPITAL STAY FOR AUSTRALIAN BURN PATIENTS

4.1 DAYS MEDIAN HOSPITAL STAY FOR AUSTRALIAN BURN PATIENTS

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
Picture of 55.0% OF ADULTS & 74.0%OF CHILDREN

55.0% OF ADULTS & 74.0%OF CHILDREN

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%.

Picture of MALES 2+ TIMES MORE LIKELY

MALES 2+ TIMES MORE LIKELY

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). 

 

Picture of $2000 IS THE AVERAGE COST PER 24HRS OF ADMISSION FOR SPECIALIST BURN CARE (ADULT)

$2000 IS THE AVERAGE COST PER 24HRS OF ADMISSION FOR SPECIALIST BURN CARE (ADULT)

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)

 

Every intervention after burn injury affects the scar worn for life.

Professor Fiona Wood AM

Our research has transformed countless lives, yet there is still so much more to do.

At the Fiona Wood Foundation, we understand that scars are more than skin deep; they influence anindividual’s physical, psychological, and physiological well-being. By holistically addressing our threeStrategic Pillars through our research, we’re not merely treating burns; we are transforming lives, reshapingfutures, and ensuring quality of life for our patients after a burn injury. 

With the support of our partners and very generous community, we bring together the best scientists, researchers and clinicians to meet our objectives to:

  •  improve understanding of burn injury and the interactions with the skin and all body systems
  • develop new technologies and treatment to improve clinical care
  • improve mental health outcomes
  • educate the community.

Our impact is the translation of research spanning the patient journey which changes lives, ensuring people not just survive burns but truly recover and thrive.

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