Psychosocial aspects of burn injuries

Abstract

Introduction With the increased survival of patients with large burns comes a new focus on the psychological challenges and recovery that such patients must face. Most burn centres employ social workers, vocational counsellors, and psychologists as part of the multidisciplinary burn team. Physiological recovery of burn patients is seen as a continual process divided into three stages—resuscitative or critical, acute, and long term rehabilitation. The psychological needs of burn patients differ at each stage. Further reading Patterson DR, Everett JJ, Bombardier CH, Questad KA, Lee VK, Marvin JA . Psychological effects of severe burn injuries. Psychol Bull 1993; 113: 362–78 Patterson DR, Ford GR . Burn injuries. In: Frank RG, Elliott TT, eds. Handbook of rehabilitation psychology. Washington DC: American Psychological Association, 2000: 145–62 Partridge J . When burns affect the way you look. London: Changing Faces, 1997