Preexisting psychiatric disorders in burn patients.
The authors studied 51 of 56 consecutive eligible patients admitted to a burn unit. Sixty-nine percent of the patients had a preburn psychiatric diagnosis. Depression alone was present in more than half the sample. Few burns were strictly accidental; 68% involved some degree of complicity on the victim's part, but intentional burns were rare. Patients with depression were more likely to sustain their burns in a setting of risk-enhancing behavior.
Rockwell
E
E
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego.
Dimsdale
J E
JE
Carroll
W
W
Hansbrough
J
J
D000328:Adult; D002056:Burns / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012309:Risk-Taking; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*