Using the Burn Specific Health Scale-Brief as a measure of quality of life after a burn—What score should clinicians expect?

BackgroundHow do clinicians determine the acceptable level of recovery of quality of life (QoL) after a burn? Many use the Burn Specific Health Scale (BSHS). The aim of this study was to examine normative values of the BSHS-Brief (BSHS-B) questionnaire in the general population.MethodsTwo random samples of the non-burned public were taken. Each individual completed either the physical or the generic questions adapted from the BSHS-B questionnaire.ResultsOf the 124 subjects who completed the physical questions, >73% rated themselves 36/36. Group mean (SD) = 34.8 (2.9), median (IQR) = 36 (35–36), range 16–36. Advancing age was associated with reduced physical capability (p = 0.016). In contrast, 7.6% of the 105 subjects who answered the generic questions recorded a full score (84/84). Group mean (SD) = 71.3 (13.8), median (IQR) = 76 (66–80), range 10–84.ConclusionThe study showed the non-burned population do not respond with full scores to all questions in the BSHS-B. The result was more notable in the non-physical questions related to the psychological and environmental factors. The data presented prompts clinicians to collect and define acceptable recovery of quality of life after a burn as measured by the BSHS-B for their local burn population.