Consumer Information on Managing Pain After Burn Injury

A  new evidence-based consumer factsheet titled Managing Pain After Burn Injury is now available on the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center website at http://msktc.washington.edu/burn/factsheets/pain.asp. This document was developed by Shelley A. Wiechman, PhD and Shawn T. Mason, PhD, in collaboration with the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center, and has been reviewed by individuals with burn injury and endorsed by the Burn Injury Model System directors.

Did you know about the special issue on burn injuries?

The International Review of Psychiatry published a special issue on psychiatric and behavioral issues associated with burn injuries in December 2009.  Article titles and links to the listings on PubMed are available at http://msktc.washington.edu/burn/special_issue.asp.

Systematic review on returning to work after burn injuries - Coming Soon

A Model Systems systematic review on returning to work after burn injuries will be published this fall in the Journal of Burn Care & Research.  This review, based on 26 research studies, found that 28% of burn survivors never return to employment. The location of the burn and size of the burn are a few of the factors that determine if a burn survivor returns to work. To read the full abstract, visit: http://msktc.washington.edu/burn/sysreviews/publications/Burn_RTW.asp

Outcomes of Older Adults After Burn Injury

Older adults with burn injuries may need more time in rehab

This study examined the long-term functional and psychological status of 737 burn survivors age 55 years and older who were enrolled and followed by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research Burn Model Systems program. The study found that older adults have a more difficult time recovering from severe burn injuries than younger individuals, and these difficulties increase with age. More specifically, patients aged 75 years and older had greater loss of independence, worse health-related quality of life, and more disability after injury than those aged 55 to 74. Recovery also took longer in the older group. Based on their findings, the authors suggest that rehabilitation programs lasting up to 1 year after injury could be of tremendous benefit in helping older adults achieve the best possible recovery of functional and psychological health. (Klein MB et al. Functional and psychosocial outcomes of older adults after burn injury: results from a multicenter database of severe burn injury. J Burn Care Res 2011;32:66-78.)

Consumer Information on Body Image after Burn Injury

A new evidence-based consumer factsheet on Understanding and Improving Body Image after Burn Injury is now available on the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) website at http://msktc.washington.edu/burn/factsheets/bodyimage.asp. This factsheet was developed by John Lawrence, Ph.D., James Fauerbach, Ph.D., and Shawn Mason, Ph.D., in collaboration with the MSKTC and has been reviewed by people with Burn Injury and endorsed by the Burn Injury Model System directors.

Effectiveness of Custom Pressure Garment Therapy

Important findings from 12-year study of pressure garment therapy for reducing scarring after burn injury.

Researchers at the University of Washington Burn Injury Model System published a landmark study on the usefulness of pressure garments for reducing the thickness of burn scars. Pressure garment therapy involves the use of custom-fit elastic garments that apply pressure to healed burn wounds and are typically worn 23 hours/day for up to 1 to 2 years after injury. They require a doctor¹s prescription and are often uncomfortable and inconvenient to wear. Until now, there has been very little research on their effectiveness. This study took over 12 years to complete. The researchers report that pressure garment therapy is beneficial, but only for patients with moderate or severe scarring. Recommendations for how and when to use pressure garment therapy are also included in the article, published in the journal Burn. (Engrav LH et al. 12-Year Within-Wound Study of the Effectiveness of Custom Pressure Garment Therapy. Burns 36 (2010), 975-983.)

Blog post submitted by Gretchen J Carrougher RN, MN from the UW Burn Injury Model System, http://depts.washington.edu/uwnidrr/

NIDRR Burn Model Systems Project Directors Meeting Summary

November 2010, Washington, D.C.

Directors of the four Burn Model Systems Centers (BMS), the Burn Model Systems Data Coordination Center, the Phoenix Society, the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center, and the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) met in Washington DC. We discussed options to improve the quality of NIDRR grant reviews for burn related topics and strategies to increase the awareness of the BMS research activities and to ensure that important BMS research is translated and implemented for key audiences.

Select action items include:

• Recruiting burn experts for NIDRR grant review panels.
• Expand American Burn Association (ABA) national burn registry to include long term outcomes of burn survivors.
• Develop panel of BMS researchers and current and potential collaborators (e.g., Department of Defense, Veteran’s Administration, the ABA) to maximize effect of BMS research.
• Collaborate with Phoenix Society to increase awareness of current BMS research and disseminate BMS consumer factsheets (available on MSKTC website).

Consumer information on Psychological Distress after Burn Injury

The Burn Model Systems recently posted an evidence-based factsheet on Psychological Distress after Burn Injury. This factsheet is written for people with Burn injury, caregivers, and family members who want to learn more about the causes of and effective treatments for psychological distress. You can access PDF and web-based versions here: http://msktc.washington.edu/burn/factsheets/distress.asp

Consumer information on Sleep Problems after Burn Injury.

The Burn Model Systems create evidence-based and consumer-friendly factsheets for people with burn injuries and their family members. The following factsheet describes the main causes of and treatments for sleep problems after burn injury. http://msktc.washington.edu/burn/factsheets/sleep.asp.