Study of Psychiatric Co-Morbidity in Burn Patients Admitted in Tertiary Care Institute: A Hospital based Prospective Study

Rakesh Jain, Jitendra Kumar Gupta

Abstract: Introduction: Burn injuries are devastating, sudden and unpredictable forms of trauma which affect the victims both physically and psychologically. The incidence of burn injury varies greatly in different regions and countries throughout the world as a result of both economic and social factors. Objectives: To find out the prevalence of psychological co-morbidity among burn patients and its association with patient characteristic. Material and Methods: A hospital based prospective study was carried out on 128 burn patients admitted at tertiary care institute, Jaipur. The patients were screened with GHQ-30 and SCID-I for determining psychological co-morbidity. Patients were reassessed for psychological co-morbidity at three and six months. Results: Nature of burn was accidental in 116 (90.63 %) patient while suicidal in 12 (9.37 %) patients. Mean age of burn patient was 27.4 ± 3.6 years. Women were affected twice than men. The prevalence of psychological co-morbidity among burn patients was 40.62 %. Generalized anxiety disorder was commonest psychological morbidity present in 30.77 % patients. Occurrence of psychological co-morbidity was found associated with age, gender and marital status (p<0.05). Conclusion: The psychological stress experienced by people suffering burn injuries, have been largely ignored which adversely affect treatment outcome.

Keywords: psychiatry, depression, GHQ-30, SCID-1, Electrocution, acute stress disorder agoraphobia