Quality of life of adult patients with severe burns

Background: Burns are one of the most significant health problems throughout the world, leading to prolonged hospitalisation and hence increased expense for the patients, their families and society. Today, the prognosis of patients with burns is dependent, apart from adequate treatment, upon the health-care system and health-care professionals, regarding not only survival, but also lifelong quality of life. This study aims to assess quality of life of adult patients with severe burns. Patients and methods: This study was conducted on 100 adult patients with severe burns in the burn outpatient clinic (male and female) at Mansoura University Hospital. Parameters of burn and Burn Specific Health Scale (BSHS-B) were used to assess quality of life following burns. Results: The study revealed that burns has negative impact on most dimensions of the quality of life of patients with burns. Conclusions: The quality of life for people who have sustained a burns should be recognised and valued by the burn team in all phases of burn care. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.