Dr Kristy Toy¹, Dr Deirdre Seoighe¹

¹Waikato District Health Board, Hamilton, New Zealand

Abstract:

Introduction
Burn injuries can have a significant and lifelong impact on not only patient, but also their family and friends. Waikato Hospital is one of the four regional burn units in New Zealand also services the surrounding district health boards of Bay of Plenty, Lakes, Tairawhiti and Taranaki. The Waikato region has a higher proportion of people that identify as New Zealand Maori when compared to the total population of New Zealand.

Objectives
The aim of our study was to determine whether there was a disproportionate number of NZ Maori patients presenting with acute burn injuries to the burn unit at Waikato Hospital in order to determine a target population for intervention.

Method
We conducted a retrospective study of acute burn presentations to Waikato Hospital from 31st December 2012 to 31st January 2021 entered into the ANZBA registry.

Results
There were 1052 acute burn presentations to the Regional Burns Unit at Waikato Hospital from December 2012 to January 2021. 39.64% of acute burn patients identified as NZ Maori and of these and of the 0-4 year age group, 49.48% are NZ Maori. The cause of burn injuries in 0 to 4 year old was similar in NZ Maori patients compared to the total population.

Conclusions
There is a disproportionate number of NZ Maori patients presenting to Waikato Hospital Regional Burns Unit and this inequality is the most concerning in the 0 to 4 year old age group.

Biography:

Dr Kristy Toy is a non-SET Plastic Surgery Registrar at Counties Manukau District Health Board and is a University of Auckland graduate of 2016. Dr Toy is proud of her NZ Maori heritage and has a passion for Maori Health.