Background: Psychological distress among people who
have severe burns is common. The time taken for burn wounds
to heal cannot be fully explained by physical factors, such as
wound size and depth. A growing body of evidence indicates
that psychological factors impact the wound healing process.
Patients and Methods: Hospital based cross sectional
survey at burn unit, Menoufia University Hospital, Egypt and
Astoon general hospital, Alkhobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
within the period of 2 years (2015-2017). The study included
45 patients of four different nationalities (Egyptian, Saudi,
Philippine's and Indian patients). Psychological distress as
depression and anxiety were assessed using the Hospital
Anxiety and Depression Scale in these patients to show if
patient has psychological distress or not.
Results: Psychological distress was common in burn
patients. It was observed that before psychological intervention,
females complained of psychological disorders than males.
But after psychological intervention, the response improvement
in psychological status in females was better than males.
Psychological disorders were high in all age groups. While,
after psychological intervention, the response and improvement
in the psychological status was better in the young and middle
ages than in old ages. Also, it was found that after psychological
interventions, burn patients with low psychological distress
stayed for a shorter duration at hospital with less surgical
intervention than those with psychological distress.
Conclusion: Psychological intervention to severe burn
patients during inpatient hospitalization has good impact on
psychological state of these patients and decrease the duration
of hospital stay and wound healing.