Citation

Stubbs TK, James LE, Daugherty MB, Epperson K, Barajaz KA, Blakeney P, Meyer WJ, Palmieri TL, Kagan RJ. Burns 2011; 37(3): 387-394.

Affiliation

Shriners Hospitals for Children(®)-Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.burns.2010.12.013

PMID

21330061

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: This two-year longitudinal study of the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of children with face burns was conducted in three regional pediatric burn care centers. Subjects were 390 children less than 18 years old at injury, admitted for burn treatment from September 2001 to December 2004. METHODS: HRQoL was assessed using the age-specific Burn Outcomes Questionnaire (BOQ) administered at scheduled time points following discharge up to 24 months thereafter. A psychosocial score was determined from domains of the BOQ, and these scores from children with both face burns and grafts were compared to those of children with non-face burns or with face burns but no face grafts. RESULTS: The parents of both the 0-4 year olds and the 5-18 year olds, who had facial burns and grafts, reported decreased BOQ psychosocial scores. When the teenagers (11-18 year olds) with facial burns and grafts filled out the BOQ themselves, they also reported low psychosocial scores compared to those with no facial burns with grafts. CONCLUSIONS: Severe face burn influences HRQoL in children. Additional psychosocial support is suggested to enhance recovery for patients with severe face burns and their families during the years following injury.

Language: en