Beyond skin deep: understanding the physical and psychological sufferings of burn survivors in the Sultanate of Oman

• Published in: European journal of plastic surgery 2020-10, Vol.43 (5), p.627-632
• Main Authors: Al-Shaqsi, Sultan, Al-Busaidi, Said, Al-Kashmiri, Ammar, Hashish, Adel Mohammad, Mheisin, Assad, Al-Barashdi, Jouka
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original Paper; Plastic Surgery
• ISSN: 0930-343X; 1435-0130
• DOI: 10.1007/s00238-019-01604-z

Background Burn injuries cause a significant physical and psychological suffering. Burn survivors report low quality of life score. Understanding the physical and psychological sufferings of burn survivors is a critical step towards improving the quality of life of such survivors. There is limited data about the quality of life from developing countries such as the Sultanate of Oman. This study aims to report the physical and psychological sufferings of burn survivors in the Sultanate of Oman. Methods Cross-sectional survey of burn survivors using the Burn Specific Health Scale-brief tool. Adult survivors were asked to rate the quality of their lives post-injury in four domains. The domains are hand function, affect, interpersonal relations, and heat sensitivity. Results There were 48 participants in this study. Males constituted 52.1% of the sample. The average age was 37.6 years. The mean estimated total body surface area of the burn was 27%. The cause of burn was flame in almost half of the participants (41.7%). Burn survivors in this study reported low scores in terms of hand function (average 3). While 64% of them reported feeling sad and unhappy about their appearance. Furthermore, 39.6% indicated that the burn has negatively impacted their interpersonal relationships with their families and friends. Conclusions This study highlighted that burn survivors in the Sultanate of Oman report low quality of life as measured by the Burn Specific Health Scale-brief. Such physical and psychological areas should be targeted for comprehensive improvement of burn care in the Sultanate of Oman. Level of evidence: Level IV, risk/prognostic study.