Model System:

Burn

Reference Type:

Journal

Accession No.:

J71703

Journal:


Journal of Burn Care And Research (formerly Journal of Burn Care & Rehabilitation)

Year, Volume, Issue, Page(s):

, 36, 3, 381-386

Publication Website:

Abstract:

Study examined whether self-inflicted burn patients differ from nonintentional, nonwork-related burn patients in terms of psychiatric and personality characteristics. Sociodemographic and injury-related factors were also compared. Fifteen patients with self-inflicted and 178 patients with nonintentional burn injuries were drawn from a larger study examining physical and psychosocial outcomes following major burn. Psychiatric/personality factors included self-reported psychiatric treatment history, alcohol/drug use, pre-burn mental health, and neuroticism. Sociodemographic factors and injury-related factors were obtained through medical records. Comparisons between the self-inflicted and the nonintentional groups were made using Fisher’s exact tests for categorical variables and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests for continuous variables. The self-inflicted group was 11.5 times more likely to report prior psychiatric treatment compared to the nonintentional burn group and 4.3 times more likely to have previously abused alcohol. Compared to nonintentional burn patients, self-inflicted burn patients reported worse pre-burn mental health. There were no differences on burn size or sociodemographic characteristics. Relative to survivors of nonintentional burns, self-inflicted burn patients in the United States demonstrate high psychiatric comorbidity. Standards of care must be developed to optimize treatment procedures and recovery outcomes in this subgroup.

Author(s):


Rietschel, Carly H., Reese, Jennifer B., Hahn, Anne P., Fauerbach, James A.