Burn survivors’ perceptions of rehabilitation☆
Introduction
As the survival rate continues to improve, an increasing population of patients with burn injuries relies on physical and occupational therapy to contribute to overall recovery and reassimilation into society. Although evidence and clinical outcomes support the efficacy of therapeutic interventions [1], limited data exists assessing the effectiveness of rehabilitation from the survivor's perspective. In accordance with previous studies that stress the importance of including burn survivors in discussions related to burn research [2], the viewpoints of patients represent an untapped reserve of beneficial information and constructive feedback [3].
Integrating analysis of burn survivors’ perspectives into the spectrum of efficacy studies offers a valuable method of addressing issues of the field, such as the lack of consensus regarding “standard of care” and “best practice,” and the propensity of burn rehabilitation improvements to occur primarily on an institutional level [4]. The purpose of this study is to report the efficacy of specific burn therapy interventions from the retrospection of burn survivors.
Section snippets
Participants and procedure
This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Weill Cornell Medical College. It used a convenience sample design. Surveys were made available to burn survivors attending the 2009 World Burn Congress in New York City, New York. The Congress is an annual international conference, organized by the Phoenix Society, that brings together burn survivors, families and caregivers, burn care professionals, and firefighters with the goal of increasing knowledge of burn recovery,
Respondent characteristics
Researchers received 164 surveys from 373 attendees who met the study's criteria (response rate = 44%). The sample featured a regional distribution throughout the United States (25% Midwest, 23% Northeast, 21% West, 15% South), as well as a small proportion of respondents from abroad (14% Canada, 1% United Kingdom, 1% India). Respondent age segments ranged from 18–25 years to 76–85 years, with the majority of participants in the 36–55 years segment (54.6%). More females (n = 96) responded than
Discussion
The study focused on assessing the efficacy of rehabilitative interventions based on the feedback and retrospection of burn survivors. In general, the vast majority of respondents agreed that the interventions of interest contributed significantly to recovery and reintegration. Concurrence appeared across the broad range of the sample's demographics. These findings strengthen prior clinical studies promoting the benefits of therapeutic rehabilitation for burn survivors [5]. In addition to
Conclusions
The perspectives of burn survivors represent a unique and direct source of information about current burn rehabilitation practices. By using feedback provided by those with first-hand experience, burn care specialists gain access to an adaptable yet consistent resource for assessing and evaluating current and future interventions. Coupled with clinical research, the perspectives of burn survivors offer a fundamental measure to support the value of burn rehabilitation methods.
Author disclosure statement
No competing financial interests exist.
Acknowledgments
Sam K. Yohannan, PT, DPT, MS would like to thank the co-investigators: Yamilette Ronda-Velez, PT, SPT, Daniel Alex Henriquez, BA, Hope Hunter, PT, Patricia A. Tufaro, OTR/L, Maureen Marren, PT, Malvina Sher, PT, Delia I. Gorga, PhD, OTR/L, and Roger W. Yurt, MD, FACS.
We thank the New York Firefighters Burn Center Foundation for its ongoing support and generosity, and the Phoenix Society for allowing us to conduct this survey study at the World Burn Congress. Additionally, we appreciate the
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Platform presentation: 42nd Annual Meeting of the American Burn Association, Boston, MA, USA, March 9, 2010; 15th Meeting of the International Society for Burn Injuries, Istanbul, Turkey, June 25, 2010.