Acute stress disorder (ASD) is frequent in the hospitalized burn population and is more frequent than in other types of trauma, according to a study published in Burns. Researchers note that associated factors with the presentation of ASD are the feeling of life threat at the time of the burn, having pain classified as strong, electrical burn, and burns in special areas. The study team found that the incidence of acute stress was 23.4%. When clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of patients with burns and controls were compared, risk factors for acute stress were determined to be subsidized insurance, flame burn, burn in a special area, third-degree burn, high pain, stay in the ICU, peritraumatic amnesia, and life threat. Patients with acute stress also had a higher percentage of the burned body surface, higher average pulse, longer hospital length of stay, and higher average in the negative effect variable and in the psychoticism variable of the PID-5-BF scale.
Virtual Visits for Outpatient Burn Care Patients
Patients with burn injuries must frequently travel long distances to regional burn centers, creating a burden on families and impairing clinical outcomes, according to a study published in the Journal of Burn Care & Research. However, recent federal policies in response to the coronavirus pandemic have relaxed major barriers to conducting synchronous videoconference visits in the home. Investigators sought to assess the efficacy of synchronous videoconference visits in the home setting for outpatient burn care by querying a clinical quality assurance database maintained during the coronavirus pandemic for virtual and/or in-person visits at a comprehensive adult and pediatric burn center. The savings associated with the average virtual visit were 130 ± 125 miles (mean ± SD), 164 ± 134 travel minutes, 104 ± 99 driving costs, and 81 ± 66 foregone wage earnings. Virtual visit technical issues were experienced by 23% of patients and were significantly lower in pediatric (5%) than in adult patients (44%). “Our findings demonstrate major financial and temporal benefits for patients with burn injuries and their families,” the study authors wrote.
