A tale of systemic vulnerability - healthcare professionals’ understanding of burn victims
(2026) In Fire Safety Journal 162.- Abstract
Quantitative epidemiological studies have identified victim- or fire-related risk factors for fire mortality and have shown radical sociodemographic differences. Whilst important, such studies are limited in explaining the underlying reasons why some individuals are more vulnerable than others. Based on focus group interviews with nurses at burn clinics in Sweden, this qualitative study therefore aims to deepen the understanding of the risk factors surrounding individuals with severe burns and the fires that caused them. The testimonies from the nurses show, with few exceptions, that the patients have extensively challenging backgrounds and are, therefore, more similar to fatal fire victims than victims with minor or no injuries. By... (More)
Quantitative epidemiological studies have identified victim- or fire-related risk factors for fire mortality and have shown radical sociodemographic differences. Whilst important, such studies are limited in explaining the underlying reasons why some individuals are more vulnerable than others. Based on focus group interviews with nurses at burn clinics in Sweden, this qualitative study therefore aims to deepen the understanding of the risk factors surrounding individuals with severe burns and the fires that caused them. The testimonies from the nurses show, with few exceptions, that the patients have extensively challenging backgrounds and are, therefore, more similar to fatal fire victims than victims with minor or no injuries. By applying a qualitative approach rather than the traditional epidemiological methodology, nurses' testimonies contextualise the individual risk factors often highlighted in fire-related research. As such, we put forth that the underlying cause is a “systemic vulnerability”, that the victims are alienated from the rest of society due to a combination of physical, cognitive, economic, social, and external factors that limit the available compensating resources. In turn, this means that their ability to handle a potentially dangerous situation is severely compromised, thereby requiring a more holistic preventative approach.
(Less)
- author
- Gustavsson, Johanna and Nilson, Finn LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-07
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Disability, Fire morbidity, Fire mortality, Human behavior, Risk assessment, Vulnerability
- in
- Fire Safety Journal
- volume
- 162
- article number
- 104760
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105033680670
- ISSN
- 0379-7112
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.firesaf.2026.104760
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2026 The Authors.
- id
- bedc6d98-50f0-4f92-92e4-8a0b6548f4b3
- date added to LUP
- 2026-05-21 14:37:15
- date last changed
- 2026-05-21 14:37:54
@article{bedc6d98-50f0-4f92-92e4-8a0b6548f4b3,
abstract = {{<p>Quantitative epidemiological studies have identified victim- or fire-related risk factors for fire mortality and have shown radical sociodemographic differences. Whilst important, such studies are limited in explaining the underlying reasons why some individuals are more vulnerable than others. Based on focus group interviews with nurses at burn clinics in Sweden, this qualitative study therefore aims to deepen the understanding of the risk factors surrounding individuals with severe burns and the fires that caused them. The testimonies from the nurses show, with few exceptions, that the patients have extensively challenging backgrounds and are, therefore, more similar to fatal fire victims than victims with minor or no injuries. By applying a qualitative approach rather than the traditional epidemiological methodology, nurses' testimonies contextualise the individual risk factors often highlighted in fire-related research. As such, we put forth that the underlying cause is a “systemic vulnerability”, that the victims are alienated from the rest of society due to a combination of physical, cognitive, economic, social, and external factors that limit the available compensating resources. In turn, this means that their ability to handle a potentially dangerous situation is severely compromised, thereby requiring a more holistic preventative approach.</p>}},
author = {{Gustavsson, Johanna and Nilson, Finn}},
issn = {{0379-7112}},
keywords = {{Disability; Fire morbidity; Fire mortality; Human behavior; Risk assessment; Vulnerability}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Fire Safety Journal}},
title = {{A tale of systemic vulnerability - healthcare professionals’ understanding of burn victims}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2026.104760}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.firesaf.2026.104760}},
volume = {{162}},
year = {{2026}},
}