OBJECTIVE: Although severe burn injury is associated with long-term rehabilitation and disability, research on returning to work in burn patients is limited. The aims of this study were: (i) to explore injury- and personality-related predictors of returning to work, and (ii) to compare health-related quality of life and health outcome in working versus non-working individuals. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: Forty-eight former patients with pre-burn employment were evaluated on average 3.8 years after the burn. METHODS: Data were collected from medical records and by a questionnaire in which the patients were asked about their main activity status described in the terms: work, studies, pension, disability pension, sick leave or unemployment. It also contained the Swedish universities Scales of Personality, SF-36, Burn Specific Health Scale-Brief, items assessing fear-avoidance, Impact of Event Scale-Revised and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. RESULTS: Thirty-one percent had not returned to work. In logistic regression, returning to work was associated with time since injury, the extent of full-thickness injuries, and the personality trait embitterment. Those who did not work had lower health-related quality of life, poorer burn-specific health, more fear-avoidance and more symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, but they did not differ from those who were working regarding general mood. CONCLUSION: Returning to work was explained by both injury severity and personality characteristics. Those who did not work were characterized by low health-related quality of life and poorer trauma-related physical and psychological health.
OBJECTIVE: Although severe burn injury is associated with long-term rehabilitation and disability, research on returning to work in burn patients is limited. The aims of this study were: (i) to explore injury- and personality-related predictors of returning to work, and (ii) to compare health-related quality of life and health outcome in working versus non-working individuals. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: Forty-eight former patients with pre-burn employment were evaluated on average 3.8 years after the burn. METHODS: Data were collected from medical records and by a questionnaire in which the patients were asked about their main activity status described in the terms: work, studies, pension, disability pension, sick leave or unemployment. It also contained the Swedish universities Scales of Personality, SF-36, Burn Specific Health Scale-Brief, items assessing fear-avoidance, Impact of Event Scale-Revised and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. RESULTS: Thirty-one percent had not returned to work. In logistic regression, returning to work was associated with time since injury, the extent of full-thickness injuries, and the personality trait embitterment. Those who did not work had lower health-related quality of life, poorer burn-specific health, more fear-avoidance and more symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, but they did not differ from those who were working regarding general mood. CONCLUSION: Returning to work was explained by both injury severity and personality characteristics. Those who did not work were characterized by low health-related quality of life and poorer trauma-related physical and psychological health.
Authors: N Stampolidis; O Castana; N Nikiteas; K Vlasis; S A Koupidis; I A Grammatikopoulos; E Mantzari; A Pallantzas; P Kourakos; O Papadopoulos Journal: Ann Burns Fire Disasters Date: 2012-12-31
Authors: Lisa M Gargano; Ho Ki Mok; Melanie H Jacobson; Patricia Frazier; Sascha K Garrey; Lysa J Petrsoric; Robert M Brackbill Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2019-05-09 Impact factor: 4.147
Authors: Steven A Romero; Gilbert Moralez; Manall F Jaffery; Mu Huang; Craig G Crandall Journal: Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol Date: 2018-09-26 Impact factor: 3.619
Authors: Matthew S Ganio; James Pearson; Zachary J Schlader; Robert Matthew Brothers; Rebekah A I Lucas; Eric Rivas; Karen J Kowalske; Craig G Crandall Journal: J Burn Care Res Date: 2015 Jul-Aug Impact factor: 1.845
Authors: Mary Elizabeth Murphy; Charles E Holzer; Lisa M Richardson; Kathryn Epperson; Sylvia Ojeda; Erin M Martinez; Oscar E Suman; David N Herndon; Walter J Meyer Journal: J Burn Care Res Date: 2015 Sep-Oct Impact factor: 1.845