title: Pruritus, personality traits and coping in long-term follow-up of burn-injured patients.
abstract: Pruritus is a major problem after burn injury; however, prevalence and predictors of prolonged pruritus are not known. The aims were to assess frequency of pruritus and the role of personality traits and coping in prolonged pruritus. The participants were burn patients injured 1-18 years earlier (n=248). Pruritus was assessed with an item from the Abbreviated Burn Specific Health Scale, personality was assessed with the Swedish universities Scales of Personality, and coping with the Coping with Burns Questionnaire. In all, 60% of the participants had pruritus at follow-up, however as the time after injury increased, the number of patients with persistent itch decreased. In logistic regression, 39% of the likelihood of having persistent pruritus was explained by greater extent of burn, less time after injury, and psychological features (being less assertive, and using more instrumental but less emotional support). In summary, chronic burn-related pruritus is rather common and psychological factors such as anxiety-related traits and coping are significantly associated with its presence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. mimmie.willebrand@plastik.uu.se
authors.forename: Mimmie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Willebrand
authors.forename: Aili
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Low
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dyster-Aas
authors.forename: Morten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kildal
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ekselius
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gerdin
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010551:Personality; D011537:Pruritus / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*