• Freya Goodhew, Miranda Van Hooff, Anthony Sparnon, Rachel Roberts, Jenelle Baur, Elizabeth J Saccone, and Alexander McFarlane.
• The Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies and the School of Psychology, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. Electronic address: freya.goodhew@adelaide.edu.au.
• Burns. 2014 Sep 1; 40 (6): 1079-88.

BackgroundResearch on the adult psychiatric outcomes of childhood burns is limited.AimsTo examine the rates of DSM-IV psychiatric disorder amongst adult survivors of paediatric burns, and to explore factors likely to contribute to variation in outcomes. In line with Meyer and colleagues [1], it was expected that high levels of psychopathology would be found.MethodParticipants were 272 adults hospitalised for burns during childhood between the years 1980 and 1990. Structured interviews and self-report questionnaires were used to assess psychiatric symptoms.ResultsLifetime prevalence of any DSM-IV disorder was 42%, 30% for depressive disorders, and 28% for anxiety disorders. Eleven percent had made a suicide attempt. Female gender, single relationship status, higher level of disfigurement, longer hospital stays and higher number of burn-related surgeries were associated with adverse psychiatric outcomes.ConclusionsHigh rates of suicidality and depression were concerning in adults with a history of childhood burns. Factors found to predict psychiatric outcomes could be used to direct interventions and further research is needed to establish how this could best be done.Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

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