LIFE EXPERIENCE WITH BURN INJURIES: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Due to multifunctional and wide range of burning diverse effects on burned patients, life experience after burn is considered as an individual experience, and it has a close relationship with their cultural and religious context. This study was done to assess burn patient’s experiences during accident till returning back to the society in order to improve rehabilitation-caring plan to match with the existing context and Iranian social needs. This is a qualitative study which is done using qualitative content analysis and unstructured deep interviews with 15 participants who had burn experience. Based on the existing elements in the context, three categories is extracted: (A) Threat. (B) Disturbance. (C) External, internal and interpersonal factors as the essence of participants’ experiences. ‘Threat’ was formed based on the risk of death, life procedures disorder, spiritual conflict, mental disorder, feeling loneliness and isolation, and changing of the self-image. ‘Disturbance’ was formed based on pain, suffering and enduring; violent behaviors and changes in self-confidence. ‘External, internal and inter personal factors’ was formed based on beliefs and values, wishes and tendencies, motivation, attitudes, demographic characteristics, personal properties, personal beliefs, affection and emotion, interactions, awareness, culture and finally being in a time and place frame. Deep conception of these two concepts will help to health care providers to undertake mental and social problems beside physical problems in considering rehabilitation and caring plans.