The relationship between paediatric burn patient characteristics and parental psychosocial outcome measures.

Lisa Martin^1,4, Dinithi Atapattu⁴, Victoria Shoesmith⁴, Suzanne Rea^2,3, Helen Douglas^2,3, Fiona Wood^1,2,3,
¹University Of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
²Burn Service of Western Australia, Murdoch, WA, Australia
³Perth Children’s Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia
⁴Fiona Wood Foundation, Murdoch, WA, Australia

Abstract

Parents feel a range of emotions after their child has a burn. These might be influenced by the circumstances of the burn event, or the demographic and social characteristics of the patient and their family (Bakker et al., 2013, De Young et al., 2014). It is important to understand these influences to help parents and patients achieve optimal recovery.

Psychosocial outcomes of parents of paediatric burn patients were measured using the Impact of Event Scale – Revised , the CARe Burn Scales – Parent Quality of Life, and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory – Brief. Demographic and clinical characteristics data from the paediatric burn patients were collected. Regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between patient characteristics and the related parent scores.

Preliminary results: 51 patients and parents were recruited, with attrition over time. Parents reported higher IESR scores if their child was female, or if they reported their child had behavioural or attention problems in relation to the burn event. The latter eased over time. Total burn surface area (TBSA) was associated with parent CARe outcomes. Posttraumatic growth in parents did not show evidence of an association with any patient characteristic.

There appears to be a gender effect on the stress levels of parents, with more stress experienced if their child was female. Quality of life, however, was influenced more by burn severity, specifically burn surface area.

BAKKER, A., et al. Course of traumatic stress reactions in couples after a burn event to their young child. Health Psychology, 32, 1076-1083.
DE YOUNG, A. C.,et al. 2014. Prospective evaluation of parent distress following pediatric burns and identification of risk factors for young child and parent posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 24, 9-17.

Biography

Lisa is a research fellow who has worked in burns research since 2009. Her nursing background was in critical care, followed by clinical trials and research nursing in general medicine and cardiology. She has completed a PhD in psychological recovery after adult burn and continued post-doctoral studies in this area. She has a strong and active interest in burn prevention.