Quality of Life Outcomes of Military Burn Patients

Yoder, Linda H.

Saturday, 29 October 2011: 3:15 PM

Linda H. Yoder, RN, MBA, PhD, AOCN, FAAN
Nursing Aministration and Healthcare Systems Management, University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing, Austin, TX
Kathryn M. Gaylord, PhD, APRN, BC
Nursing, United States Institute of Surgical Research Fort Sam Houston, TX, Fort Sam Houston, TX
Ann Nayback-Beebe, PhD, MSN, RN, FNP-BC
Deputy Chief, Nursing Research Services, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX
Jacquelyn Dingley, BSN, MPH, MBA, RN
School of Nursing, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX

Learning Objective 1: Describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of the average military burn survivor.

Learning Objective 2: Discuss the relationship between Satisfaction with Life Scale scores and Burn Specific Health Scale scores.

Background: There is limited research examining quality of life (QOL) among burn survivors during post-hospitalization rehabilitation. The Roy Adaptation Model guided the research.

Methods: A prospective, repeated measures design examined QOL in 77 burn survivors from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. A paired t-test compared data from burn unit discharge (DC) and 3 months post-DC. These data are part of a larger study following participants 18 months post-DC. Participants completed the Abbreviated Burn Specific Health Scale (BSHS-A) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS).

Results: Most participants were men (76/99%), with a mean age of 25.5, who were Caucasian (53/69%), single (36/47%). and possessed a high school education (43/55%) or some college (28/36%). Most were in the Army (57/74%) and had been in the military for 3.5-5 years. A majority were victims of improvised implosive devices (53%); and the mean total body surface area burned was 24.24% (median=17.25%), with 14.5% full thickness burns. The average length of stay in the burn unit was 46 days. The paired t-test demonstrated that SWLS scores did not change from burn unit DC to 3 mo post-DC and that participants were satisfied with their lives overall. The BSHS total score was statistically significantly correlated with SWLS both at DC and 3 months (r=.41 at DC, p< .000/ r=.65 at 3 mo, p< .000). Also, the participants reported significantly improved QOL over 3 months on the total BSHS-A score (t=3.37, df=70, p< .001) and several domains or subscales of the BSHS-A.

Discussion & Implications for Nursing: Discharge from the burn unit marks the beginning of a lengthy adjustment process for service members with burn injuries. Improvements in perceived physical and role function occur during the first 3 months post burn unit discharge; however, burn patients should be followed longitudinally to better understand rehabilitation QOL.

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