Predictors of generic and burn-specific quality of life among adult burn patients admitted to a Lebanese burn care center: a cross-sectional single-center study

Abstract

Burn injuries carry significant implications on short- and long-term quality of health. The present study undertook the first attempt to characterize generic and burn-specific quality of life and their predictors among adult burn patients admitted to a Lebanese burn care center. 130 adult patients admitted to the Lebanese Geitaoui Hospital burn center between 2013 and 2019 willingly answered Arabic versions of RAND's 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36), and the Burn-Specific Health Scale-Brief (BSHS-B). Results showed that burn patients continue to exhibit impairments on various generic and burn-specific quality of life subdomains. Education, pain and total body surface area (TBSA) burned were consistently and significantly correlated with both BSHS-B and SF-36 component scores, while inhalation injury exhibited an association with total BSHS-B score. Education and pain emerged as independent predictors of SF-36 components as well as total BSHS-B score. The latter was additionally associated with BMI and burn degree, while TBSA burned negatively correlated with SF-36 physical component scores. Correlates of impaired quality of life among Lebanese adult burn patients should therefore be taken into account and existing burn management practices and rehabilitation programs should be revised accordingly in order to ensure optimal long-term patient outcomes.

Keywords: Burn injuries; outcome; predictors; quality of life.