Physical and psychiatric recovery from burns

Frederick J Stoddard Jr; Colleen M Ryan; Jeffrey C Schneider

doi:10.1016/j.psc.2014.11.001

Physical and psychiatric recovery from burns

Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2015 Mar;38(1):105-20. doi: 10.1016/j.psc.2014.11.001. Epub 2014 Dec 15.

Authors

Frederick J Stoddard Jr¹, Colleen M Ryan², Jeffrey C Schneider³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
² Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
³ Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 1st Avenue, Boston, MA 02129, USA. Electronic address: jcschneider@partners.org.

PMID: 25725572
DOI: 10.1016/j.psc.2014.11.001

Abstract

Burn injuries pose complex biopsychosocial challenges to recovery and improved comprehensive care. The physical and emotional sequelae of burns differ, depending on burn severity, individual resilience, and stage of development when they occur. Most burn survivors are resilient and recover, whereas some are more vulnerable and have complicated outcomes. Physical rehabilitation is affected by orthopedic, neurologic, and metabolic complications and disabilities. Psychiatric recovery is affected by pain, mental disorders, substance abuse, and burn stigmatization. Individual resilience, social supports, and educational or occupational achievements affect outcomes.

Keywords: Body image; Burn reconstruction; Depression; Hypertrophic scar; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Recovery; Rehabilitation; Resilience.

Publication types

Review