Abstract:

Introduction: Burn treatment remains a major public health concern despite advances in healthcare delivery. This study aimed to determine the burden experienced by female burn patients admitted into Nigerian hospitals and the modifying variables.

Methodology: The recruitment criteria of the forty-five women in this mixed-method cross-sectional descriptive study were: >30% total body surface area burnt, ≥2-weeks admission stay, absent co-morbidities and voluntary consent. Using one probing question and validated, structured ‘Burden of Burn Treatment Interview Guide’, data were collected on physical discomfort, lifestyle changes, altered body image, social function limitations and anxiety/depression. Descriptive analyses yielded frequencies, percentages, means and standard-deviations while t-test for independence and linear regression at 95% CI were used for Inferences. Qualitative data were subjected to conventional content analysis.

Results: Mean age of participants was 30.3 years; seven lived below Nigerian minimum wage of NGN 18,000/month; and average length of hospital stay (LHS) was 40days. Leading burdens were social deprivation, huge financial demands, physical restrictions and unfriendly care-provider attitude. Income, LHS, occupation, parity and age modify respondent’s experienced degree of treatment burden (p<.05).

Conclusion: Female burn patients in Nigeria are burdened by separation from home, high treatment cost and poor care-provider attitude. Women with children under their care are more emotionally burdened by prolonged hospitalisation. Quality improvement strategies including zero tolerance for third delay in initiating care, establishment of burn-care trust fund and/or pay-as-you-earn policy are recommended. Similar studies on male population will provide bases for concretizing the effect size of femininity on the treatment burden.