Assessment of burn-specific health-related quality of life and patient scar status following burn

- Burn patients with low income, flame-source burns, severe burns, visible scars, and scars on face or hand have a reduced quality of life.
- Burn patients were most unsatisfied with scar color among six subscales of patient scar assessment.
- Burn patients experience the most difficulties with their work and the treatment regimen.

IntroductionThis study assessed patient-perceived levels of scar assessment and burn-specific quality of life (QOL) in Korean burn patients admitted to burn care centers and identified differences in scar assessment and QOL based on various patient characteristics.MethodsA cross-sectional descriptive study using anonymous paper-based survey methods was conducted with 100 burn patients from three burn centers specializing in burn care in South Korea.ResultsMean subject age was 44.5 years old, and 69% of the subjects were men. The overall mean QOL was 2.91 out of 5. QOL was lowest for the work subdomain (2.25 ± 1.45) followed by the treatment regimen subdomain (2.32 ± 1.16). The subjects' mean total scar assessment score was 35.51 out of 60, and subjects were most unsatisfied with scar color. Subjects with low income, flame-source burns, severe burns, visible scars, and scars on face or hand reported significantly lower QOL. Subjects with severe burn degree and burn range perceived their burn scar condition to be worse than that of others.ConclusionThe results show that burn subjects experience the most difficulties with their work and the treatment regimen. Subjects with severe burn and visible scarring have a reduced QOL and a poor scar status. Scar management intervention may improve QOL of burn patients especially those with severe burn and visible scars. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the relationship between scar assessment and QOL.