Abstract Background Burn injuries among prisoners are clinically and logistically complex to manage. Barriers to timely first aid and specialist care may contribute to worse outcomes, yet data on this population remain limited. This study aimed to characterise the epidemiology, injury patterns, first aid provision and follow-up engagement of prisoners treated for burn injuries, to inform improvements to service provision. Methods A 10-year retrospective cohort study of all prisoners treated for burn injuries at a UK regional burns unit between March 2015 and April 2025. Clinical data were extracted from medical records, including demographics, injury characteristics, mechanism and intent, first aid, surgical intervention, complications, and follow-up. Descriptive statistics and subgroup comparisons were performed using Fisher’s exact tests. Results 63 cases met inclusion criteria. Median age was 30 years (IQR 24–39), and median TBSA burned was 1.0% (IQR 0.7–2.9). Most burns were scalds (83%), resulting from assault (54%) or self-harm (11%). Adequate first aid (≥20 min cooling) was documented in only 32% of cases; 30% of referrals were delayed by more than two days from injury. Twelve patients (19%) required surgery and 15 were admitted to hospital (median length of stay: 4 days). Follow-up was requested for 46 patients, but only 63% attended. Missed appointments were often due to institutional constraints. Conclusions Burn injuries in prisoners frequently arise from deliberate harm and are often inadequately managed in the early phase. Improved first-aid training, integrated mental health care, and expansion of outreach services may improve outcomes in this high-risk, underserved population.
Yusuf et al. (2026) studied this question.