271 Support for Burn Survivors: Influential Factors in the Recovery Process

Abstract Introduction Surviving a burn injury involves a complex healing process. Unfortunately, there is not a ‘one size fits all’ method for supporting survivors through their recovery, and survivors often have difficulty getting the support they need. In this study, we sought to identify factors that were influential in the recovery process for burn survivors, especially relating to barriers in obtaining support. Methods We conducted thematic analysis on transcripts of in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 11 burn survivors who had been treated at a Midwest tertiary facility. Survivors were purposefully selected for variability in age, gender, injury size, injury mechanism and quality of life responses. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. All interviews were coded by at least two authors. Coded results were entered into MAXQDA, a qualitative data management software program. Results The mean age of the survivors interviewed was 51 years (35-63 years) and time from the injury was 5.4 years (2 months to 26 years). Their burn sizes ranged from &lt10% in 4 survivors to 70-79% in one survivor. Survivors acknowledged profound ongoing physical, emotional, and practical barriers to the “long process” of recovery, sometimes exacerbated by rural contexts. However, we found that complex processes of active coping, finding meaning and acceptance, and caring for others contributed to their resilience. During this process, survivors sought and benefited from many kinds of support (e.g. family, friends, providers, formal structured peer programs like Burn Camp or support groups, and informal or formal online networks), and from providing support to others (informally or formally, often burn-injury-related), including telling their stories. However, not all interviewees used the same support systems or used them at the same stage of recovery. Some interviewees indicated that support systems need to vary throughout the recovery period. Conclusions Survivors could benefit from a flexible set of options for participating in peer support networks as both beneficiaries and providers of support. These options should ideally be accessible in different locations, through different mechanisms (e.g. camp, face-to-face, web-facilitated), and at different stages of recovery, even years after the injury. This is important especially for inpatients who may not be ready to benefit from structured peer support opportunities that could become difficult to identify or