Burn Survivor Quality of Life and Barriers to Support Program Participation

Abstract

After a serious burn, re-entry into family life, society, and work can be incredibly difficult. Support services such as professional counseling and peer support play a key role for recovering survivors. Herein, we sought to identify support service participation rates, barriers to participation, and quality of life (QOL) among burn survivors treated at a regional burn center. A survey of burn survivors over 18 years old treated for a burn for 5 days or greater between 2006 and 2016 were invited to participate in a survey. The three-part survey contained sections covering demographics, questions regarding support program (SP) awareness, needs and participation, and QOL surveys. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify factors related to SP participation and QOL scores. Nine hundred sixty-eight patients were eligible; 150 responses were received. Over one third (40, 31%) of the responding survivors wanted support, but only half of those (23, 17%) participated in SPs. Distance and awareness of the available programs were two barriers to participation. Those attending SPs were more likely to have had larger burns (OR = 3.7, P = 0.05) and visible burns (OR = 7.5, P = 0.031). Lower scores on selected QOL scales were associated with burns more than 30%, visible burns, female gender, time from burn, and age group. A sizable number of burn survivors want SPs. However, access to these services and advertising their existence are hurdles to overcome. Future burn survivor SPs should focus on psychosocial stresses identified in the QOL assessments.

Patient‐reported outcomes and their predictors 2 years after burn injury: A cross‐sectional study

“…Patients with burns over a lower TBSA reported better patient‐reported outcomes 2 years after burn injury. This finding is consistent with Baldwin et al, 24 who found that lower scores on selected quality of life scales were associated with burns of more than 30%. Patients with severe burn injury always experience physical symptoms such as pain, sensitivity and itching, together with psychosocial difficulties, such as anxiety, body image distress and difficulties in work, romantic relationships and intimacy 25 .…”

Using an integrated knowledge translation approach to inform a pilot feasibility randomized controlled trial on peer support for individuals with traumatic brain injury: A qualitative descriptive study

“…We identified that logistical challenges (e.g., geographical distance and scheduling difficulties) act as barriers to participation in peer support programs, but are mitigated by facilitators such as a common background and/or sense of identity between mentors and partners [ 12 ]. Furthermore, previous studies in other disease populations have identified barriers and facilitators to participation in peer support programs that overlap with many of the themes that emerged in the current study [ 35 – 37 ]. However, the need for clear expectations for both mentees (partners) and mentors, identified by our key informants as a major theme in this study, has not been previously reported.…”

“More than Scabs and Stitches”: An Interview Study of Burn Survivors’ Perspectives on Treatment and Recovery

“…This study builds on a previously published study, 34 which contacted 968 adult burn survivors who were treated over a 10-year period to fill out QOL surveys. Out of 150 patients who completed the surveys, 67 offered to participate in interviews.…”