title: Health-related quality of life of hospitalized patients with burns-comparison with general population and a 2-year follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has gained increasing interest as an important indicator of adaptation after a burn injury. Our objective was to compare HRQoL of medium severity hospitalized burn victims with no need for intensive care treatment with that of the general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 15D HRQoL questionnaire at discharge, and 6, 12 and 24 months thereafter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  44 patients filled in the baseline questionnaire between June 2007 and December 2009. At discharge the mean (SD) HRQoL score (on a scale of 0-1) of the patients was worse in comparison with that of the general population (0.839 (0.125) vs. 0.936 (0.071)), p<0.001. The most striking differences (p<0.001) were seen on the dimensions of sleeping, usual activities, discomfort and symptoms, and sexual activity. At the 2-year follow-up the mean HRQoL score had increased from 0.835 (0.121) to 0.856 (0.149), but the difference was not statistically significant. Of the dimensions, moving and usual activities improved statistically significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HRQoL of patients hospitalized for treatment of burns is, at discharge, compromised compared with that of the general population. During follow-up HRQoL showed slight improvement but remained at a clearly lower level.
authors: Department of Plastic Surgery, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki Finland, P.O. Box 266, 00029 HUS, Finland. virve.koljonen@hus.fi
authors: Virve
authors: V
authors: Koljonen
authors: Markku
authors: M
authors: Laitila
authors: Harri
authors: H
authors: Sintonen
authors: Risto P
authors: RP
authors: Roine
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002056:Burns / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult