Abstract

MEDEIROS, Letícia Galery; KRISTENSEN, Christian Haag  and  ALMEIDA, Rosa Maria Martins de. Post-traumatic stress in burn victims: literature review. Aletheia [online]. 2009, n.29, pp. 177-189. ISSN 1413-0394.

There is an increasing interest in the assessment of psychological damage in burn victims. The treatment of these patients is quite long and painful, and it encompasses attention to both physical and emotional impairments. This article reviews the relevant literature in order to assesses what are the most relevant psychological injuries in patients who had burns. In this population of burn victims, depression (13 to 23%) and anxiety disorders (27%) - including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - are the most relevant conditions. The prevalence of PTSD for burn patients has been estimated to be ca. 24.8%, but several researchers have suggested to expand the criteria for a partial-PTSD diagnosis. PTSD is a relatively newly studied disorder, and it requires a better definition when it is applied to burn victims. Moreover, studies for a more efficacious treatment of this disorder are required for this population.

Keywords : Burns; Post-traumatic stress disorder; Depression.

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