Reasons for distress among burn survivors at 6, 12, and 24 months postdischarge: A burn injury model system investigation

Model System:

Burn

Reference Type:

Journal article

Accession No.:

J79144

Journal:

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Year, Volume, Issue, Page(s):

2018 , 99, 7, 1311-1317

Publication Website:

Abstract:

Study examined whether important sources of distress identified by burn survivors at discharge and 6, 12, and 24 months after injury changed over time, and explored the effect of distress on physical and mental health outcomes over time. A total of 1,009 participants enrolled in the Burn Model Systems program were asked to rate on a 10-point Likert-type scale (0-no distress to 10-high distress) how much distress each of 12 pre-established issues was causing them at the time of each follow-up. The Medical Outcomes Study 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey was administered at each time point as a measure of health-related quality of life. The Satisfaction With Appearance Scale was used to understand the relation between sources of distress and body image. Finally, whether a person returned to work was used to determine the effect of sources of distress on returning to employment. It was encouraging that no symptoms were worsening at 2 years. However, financial concerns and long recovery time had 2 of the highest means at all time points. Pain and sleep disturbance had the biggest effect on ability to return to work. These findings can be used to inform burn-specific interventions and to give survivors an understanding of the temporal trajectory for various causes of distress. In particular, it appears that interventions targeted at sleep disturbance and high pain levels can potentially effect distress over financial concerns by allowing a person to return to work more quickly.

Author(s):