Treating patients differently: Comparison of medical-staff behaviour and attitudes towards cases of self-immolation and unintentional burns

Discrimination in service delivery can interfere with follow-up care, service receipt, and return to normal quality of life. This study was conducted to assess and compare patients’ perception of caregivers’ behaviour and attitudes in two groups; self-immolation and cases of unintentional burn.This study was conducted at the burn unit of Taleqani Hospital in Ilam in 2008. All patients admitted to the burn unit over a 6-month period from September 2008 to March 2009 were enrolled. In the total of 116 patients, 57 cases of self-immolation and 59 cases of unintentional burns were studied. Data were generated through interviews and questionnaires.Among the hospitalised cases, 49.1% were cases of self-immolation. Medical staff behaviour and attitudes were judged as relatively good or good in 86.5% and 68.4% of unintentional burn and self-immolation patients, respectively (P = 0.011). This inter-group difference was only dependent on the nature of burns (self-immolation vs. unintentional), and other studied variables did not significantly affect results.The stigma of self-immolation should not impair the quality of care or the behaviour and attitudes of caregivers. It is necessary to train and monitor staff in this regard so that cases of self-immolation can receive services without discrimination.