A Qualitative Analysis of Burn Injury Patient and Caregiver Experiences in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa: Enduring the Transition to a Post-Burn Life

Camerin A Rencken,Adam R Aluisio,Abigail D Harrison,Nikki Allorto

doi:10.3390/ebj2030007

Abstract

Over 95% of fire-related burns occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), an important and frequently overlooked global health disparity, yet research is limited from LMICs on how survivors and their caregivers recover and successfully return to their pre-burn lives. This study examines the lived experiences of burn patients and caregivers, the most challenging aspects of their recoveries, and factors that have assisted in recovery. This qualitative study was conducted in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa at a 900-bed district hospital. Participants (n = 35) included burn patients (n = 13) and caregivers (n = 22) after discharge. In-depth interviews addressed the recovery process after a burn injury. Data were coded using NVivo 12. Analysis revealed three major thematic categories. Coded data were triangulated to analyze caregiver and patient perspectives jointly. The participants’ lived experiences fell into three main categories: (1) psychological impacts of the burn, (2) enduring the transition into daily life, and (3) reflections on difficulties survivors face in returning for aftercare. The most notable discussions regarded stigma, difficulty accepting self-image, loss of relationships, returning to work, and barriers in receiving long-term aftercare at the hospital outpatient clinic. Patients and caregivers face significant adversities integrating into society. This study highlights areas in which burn survivors may benefit from assistance to inform future interventions and international health policy.

Highlights

Burn injuries are an important global health concern, with estimates that over 95% of burns occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) [1]
This study aims to understand how burn injury survivors and their caregivers adjust to and cope with daily life after being discharged from a hospital in the specific setting of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa
Caregivers (n = 22) were recruited into the study to report on the experiences of the burn survivors in their care, as well as their own experiences of caring for a burn survivor. This table includes (1) adult burn survivors who were recruited to the study and reported on their own experiences with burn injury and recovery, and (2) the caregiver kin burn survivors were reported on by their caregivers

Summary

Introduction

Burn injuries are an important global health concern, with estimates that over 95% of burns occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) [1]. This represents an important and often overlooked global health disparity, as the gap in burn-related mortality rates between LMICs and high-income countries is one of the largest for any injury [1]. Burn injuries account for 300,000 deaths each year, and millions experience chronic disabilities and sequelae [1,2]. With recognition of the long-term effects of a burn injury, such as the psychological morbidity for both the patient and community, public health research focuses is shifting towards the chronic impact and need for research on the psychosocial impact of scars [3,4,5]

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