Treatment outcome and associated factors of burn injury in Ethiopian hospitals: A systematic review and metaanalysis

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