Predictors of Anxiety, Mental and Physical Health Related Quality of Life at One Year and Two Years after Injury in Adult Burn Survivors – A Burn Model System National Database Study

Abstract

Adult burn survivors are at risk for developing anxiety and reduced health-related quality of life. The purpose of the study was to investigate predictors of anxiety at one- and two-years post injury. Data from 266 patients were queried from the Burn Model System National Database between 2015-2020. Patient-reported outcomes at one- and two-years post injury were analyzed using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS-29) for anxiety severity, and the Mental Component Summary (MCS) and Physical Component Summary (PCS) for mental and physical health-related quality of life respectively. Logistic models were computed to determine predictors of anxiety at one- and two-years post injury. Results showed that at one-year post injury, burns to specific body regions and pre-existing diagnoses of mental health disorders predict high anxiety severity scores and low MCS scores, whereas burns at perineum area predict low PCS scores. At two-years post injury, younger age predicted low MCS scores, and burns to the leg area, older age, and pre-existing diagnosis of diabetes predict low PCS scores. Findings from this study showed that burns to visible areas, pre-existing mental health disorders, and younger age predict increased anxiety and lower mental-health related quality of life, whereas burns to the perineum and lower limbs, and older age predict lower physical-health related quality of life. Therefore, allocating mental and physical health-related resources to burn survivors based on burn area, age, and comorbidities is crucial for quality of life after burn injury.