Severity of symptoms of depression among burned patients one week after injury, using Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II)

BackgroundThis study was done to determine the severity of symptoms of depression in burned patients and to assess the effect of burn related factors on depression.Materials and methodsThis is a descriptive cross-sectional survey, performed in Burn center, Motahhari hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The population of the study included 300 hospitalized patients from April 2010 to May 2011 who were assessed for symptoms of depression one week after burn injury by Beck Depression Inventory-II.ResultsThree hundred subjects (50% female and 50% male) participated in the study. Age ranged from 13 to 75 with the mean of 35.06 ± 12.79 years. 184 (61.3%) had symptoms of depression, 58 (19.3%) of them mild, 52 (17.3%) moderate and 74 (24.7%) severe depression symptoms. There was a significant relationship between symptoms of depression and age, gender, educational level, TBSA%, number of burn sites and amputation (p value < 0.05).ConclusionThe high prevalence of symptoms of depression in burned patients suggests that depression should be screened in such patients and treat if indicated.