Influential Factors in the Recovery Process of Burn Survivors in a Predominately Rural State: A Qualitative Study.

Navigating the recovery journey following a burn injury can be challenging. Survivor stories can help define recovery constructs that can be incorporated into support programs. We undertook this study to determine themes of recovery in a predominately rural state. Eleven purposefully selected burn survivors were interviewed using a semi-structured format. Consensus coding of verbatim transcriptions was used to determine themes of successful recovery. Four support-specific themes were identified. These included: using active coping strategies, expressing altruism through helping others, finding meaning and acceptance, and the active seeking and use of support. These themes could be incorporated into support programming and would help guide future survivors through the recovery period.