Journal of Addiction Research & Therapy
Open Access

Abstract

Background: Burn causes both the physical and psychological trauma of the victims. Most of the cases, physical trauma of burn are highlighted and managed but psychological impacts of burn are ignored. The psychological aspects of burn injury have been researched in different parts of world producing different outcomes. A very few number of study regarding psychological aspect of burn has been conducted in our country till now. Objective: To assess the psychiatric morbidity among the burn patients attending burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. To assess socio-demographic characteristics of burn patients developing psychiatric disorders & to determine the effects of burn factors on the psychiatric disorder. Study design: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study. Study setting and period: The study was conducted in the Burn & Plastic Surgery Unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh & the duration of the study was 6 (six) months. Participants: Burned patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Methods: 124 patients were selected on non-probability purposive type sampling techniques who were GHQ (General Health Questionnaire) positive. Then a semi-structured questionnaire containing socio-demographic characteristics and SCID-I (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis-I disorder) is applied. Finally DSM-IV-TR criteria were used among burn patients clinically. Main outcome measures: Different types of psychiatric morbidity in post burn patients and different burn related factors affecting psychiatric outcomes. Results: The psychiatric morbidity among the burn patients was 47.6%. Regarding patterns of psychiatric morbidities, among the burn patients highest percentage was anxiety disorder 54.24% followed by depressive disorder 35.6%, acute stress disorder (ASD) 3.4%, post traumatic disorder (PTSD) 5.1% & 1.7% psychotic disorder. It was also apparent from this study that low socioeconomic condition, less educated, unmarried, suicidal and more TBSA involvement burn patients who had multiple sites of burn injuries especially head, neck and face developed psychiatric disorders. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of the simultaneous evaluation and management of psychiatric disorders and physical injuries in burn injured patients. Keywords: SCID I, DSM-IV-TR, ASD, PTSD, TBSA.

Biography

Md. Rashidul Haque has completed MBBS from Dhaka Medical College in 2002, joined in Government service of People Republic of Bangladesh as Assistant Surgeon in 2006 and achieved Fellowship in Psychiatry, FCPS (Fellow of College of Physicians and Surgeons) from Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (BCPS) in 2013. Now he is working as Registrar in Department of Psychiatry since 2013. He is elected as International Secretary of Bangladesh Association of Psychiatrists (BAP).