Inge Spronk , Cameron Carling , Daisy Ryan , Fiona M. Wood , Mark W. Fear , Dale W. Edgar
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
After a burn, return to work (RTW) is a key goal to restore social integration and quality of life. Burn survivors face multidimensional obstacles as they attempt to RTW, including physical limitations, mental health impacts, and social stigma. This study aimed to investigate the RTW rate over time and identify patient-reported factors associated with no return to work within 12 months of a burn in an Australian context.
Materials and methods
This retrospective population registry study included all eligible adult burn patients injured between 2006 – 2024 in Western Australia (WA). Outcomes included: Sickness Impact Profile (SIP, work scale) and Burn-Specific Health Scale-Brief (BSHS-B, work domain). Data analyses involved mixed-effects adjusted regression models analyzing RTW rate, work impairment, and BSHS-B work domain over time.
Results
A sample of 953 patients (16.5 % of WA burn population) were included in the study cohort, with 84.6 % of these engaged prior to their injury in work outside managing their home. Most were male (70 %), with median age 36 years (IQR: 26.0–50.0) and 84 % had surgery. The median %TBSA was 2.4 % (IQR: 0.8–6.7 %), 15 % (n = 138) of the sample suffering major (≥10 %) burns. Work-related injury was reported by 22 %. Significant predictors of reduced RTW within one year, included contact burn (p = 0.021); electrical injury (p = 0.012); male sex (p = 0.045); multiple admissions (p = 0.003); prolonged wound healing (p < 0.001); work-related injury (p = 0.008); and, more psychology sessions in the first month after burn (p < 0.001). By 6 weeks post-burn, 38 % had RTW, increasing to 92 % of the sample by 12 months. The mean time to return was 40 days (SD 50 days). At one month, 79 % reported work impairment (SIP), declining to 61 % at 6 weeks and 50 % at 12 months. Receiving more occupational therapy 1–3 months post burn was associated with reduced reported work impairment (p < 0.001).
Conclusion
While this study, which focussed on patient-reported outcome measures, confirmed that common, non-modifiable factors were barriers to return to work, timely multidisciplinary team input was shown to facilitate the high rate of return and early occupational therapy was associated with less reported work impairment, within one year after burn.
期刊介绍:
Burns aims to foster the exchange of information among all engaged in preventing and treating the effects of burns. The journal focuses on clinical, scientific and social aspects of these injuries and covers the prevention of the injury, the epidemiology of such injuries and all aspects of treatment including development of new techniques and technologies and verification of existing ones. Regular features include clinical and scientific papers, state of the art reviews and descriptions of burn-care in practice.
Topics covered by Burns include: the effects of smoke on man and animals, their tissues and cells; the responses to and treatment of patients and animals with chemical injuries to the skin; the biological and clinical effects of cold injuries; surgical techniques which are, or may be relevant to the treatment of burned patients during the acute or reconstructive phase following injury; well controlled laboratory studies of the effectiveness of anti-microbial agents on infection and new materials on scarring and healing; inflammatory responses to injury, effectiveness of related agents and other compounds used to modify the physiological and cellular responses to the injury; experimental studies of burns and the outcome of burn wound healing; regenerative medicine concerning the skin.