Journal of burn care & research : official publication of the American Burn Association
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Burns are a devastating public health problem that result in 10 million disability-adjusted life-years lost in low- and middle-income countries. Adequate first aid for burn injuries reduces morbidity and mortality. The rate of proper first aid practices in other countries is 12% to 22%.1,2 A 5-year retrospective audit was performed on the database of the Burn Unit in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia for 2012-2016; this involved 485 patients from the east coast of Malaysia. ⋯ Others practiced traditional remedies such as the application of "Minyak Gamat" (6.5%), soy sauce (5.5%), other ointments (3.6%), milk (1.8%), and eggs (0.7%), as well as honey, butter, and cooking oil (0.4% each). First aid practices for burn injuries in the population of east coast Malaysia are still inadequate. The knowledge and awareness of school children and the general Malaysian population must be enhanced.