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Burn Patients

  • Chapter
Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

The multisensory onslaught of the burn ward speaks of abject stress for both patient and treater. Burn treatment has advanced dramatically during the past 30 years, so much so that only approximately 10% of all burn patients admitted for treatment die and the outlook is good except for patients with very extensive burns (70% of the body surface or greater) or for very young or old patients. Unfortunately, the type of treatment necessary to salvage previously unsalvageable lives is as much a part of the stressful aura of the burn unit as is the patient’s response to the trauma itself. In fact, burn injury might be one of the few conditions where patients tend to recall the treatment with more horror than the trauma itself (Andreasen, Noyes, & Hartford, 1972). For this reason it is important to begin with some discussion of treatment protocols in order to provide the context for both the short- and long-term psychological implications. Following that, the existing research on the psychological impact and sequelae will be presented, particularly as findings relate to potential psychotherapeutic involvement. Finally, the few existing (but promising) techniques for behavioral intervention will be reported. The emphasis throughout will be on adult burn patients solely because of space considerations.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rehabilitation Science, Dallas, Texas, 75235, USA

    Jeanne Achterberg-Lawlis

  2. Department of Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center, Dallas, Texas, 75235, USA

    Cornelia Kenner

Authors
  1. Jeanne Achterberg-Lawlis
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  2. Cornelia Kenner
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Behavioral Medicine Services, Brookwood Medical Center, Birmingham, Alabama, USA

    Daniel M. Doleys Ph. D. (Program Director) (Program Director)

  2. Vaughan Clinic, Brookwood Medical Center, Birmingham, Alabama, USA

    Ronald L. Meredith Psy. D.

  3. Veterans Administration Medical Center, Behavioral Medicine Institute, Miami, Florida, USA

    Anthony R. Ciminero Ph. D.

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© 1982 Plenum Press, New York

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Achterberg-Lawlis, J., Kenner, C. (1982). Burn Patients. In: Doleys, D.M., Meredith, R.L., Ciminero, A.R. (eds) Behavioral Medicine. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-4070-6_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-4070-6_20

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-4072-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-4070-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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