Wisely J A, Tarrier N
Division of Clinical Psychology, University of Manchester, Withington Hospital, M20 8LR, Manchester, UK.
Burns. 2001 Dec;27(8):801-7. doi: 10.1016/s0305-4179(01)00058-4.
Increasingly, burns services are incorporating clinical psychologists as members of their acute care and rehabilitation teams. This study aimed to provide evidence for the necessity of psychological input in a follow-up service for victims of burn injuries in Manchester. Psychological morbidity and need of consecutive burn-injured patients (n=68) attending an outpatient clinic was surveyed in comparison to a sample of consecutive plastics and trauma patients attending the same clinic (n=44). Significantly more burn-injured patients reported emotional difficulties as measured by the hospital anxiety and depression scale and the impact of events scale due to their condition than the plastics and trauma patients. Burn-injured individuals reported a lack of psychological support and made suggestions for support services that may have been beneficial. The findings supported the need for a comprehensive follow-up service that would make specialist physical and psychological support more accessible to burn-injured patients post-hospitalisation. The accuracy of medical staff in identifying psychological difficulties during a routine follow-up consultation was examined in a sub-group of burns victims (n=21). Medical staff was able to correctly identify the presence of psychological difficulties in 58% of cases. Implications regarding referral routes to psychological services were highlighted.
