RETURN TO EMPLOYMENT AFTER BURN

The increase in the survival rate of burned patients has stressed the need to study their rehabilitation. The purpose of our study was to ch aracterize the factors influencing such patients' return to work. We c onducted a mail survey among 316 patients aged 15-65 years, treated at Toolo Hospital Burns Unit between 11 November 1988 and 31 December 19 94. Of 175 participants, 130 (74 per cent) were men and 45 (26 pet cen t) women. The mean TBSA teas 14.0 per cent, mean FT 6.4 per cent and t he mean time of hospital treatment (TOT) 17.5 days. Statistical signif icance was calculated by Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskall-Wallis one-way analysis of variance and Chi-square test as appropriate, with a probab ility level of 0.05. In the study, 54 per cent of patients whose burn area was 1-10 per cent, returned to work within 2 months. No differenc e was found between patients who had hand burns and those who had burn injuries in other parts of the body. Patients who did not return to w ork were significantly alder (mean age 45 years) than those who did (m ean ages varying from 33 to 36 years; P<0.05). Total body surface area burned (TBSA), FT, TOT, age and employment status at the time of inju ry were the factors predicting the resumption of working ability after burn injury. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd for ISBI.