Burden of Burns Treatment as Perceived by Patients and Care Givers at the National Orthopedic Hospital Enugu

ABSTRACT This study aimed at determining the burden of burns treatment as perceived by patients and care givers of under-aged patients at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu. Four objectives and three hypotheses guided the study. A descriptive cross sectional survey design was used for the study. Forty five (45) patients and twelve (12) care givers of under-aged burn patients were studied. The data were collected with two questionnaires adapted from Kildal (2008) - one for adult burn patients and the other for care givers of under-aged burns patients. These were analyzed with the aid of IBM statistical package for social sciences version 20.0. Mean, frequencies, percentages, standard deviation, Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient and point Bi-serial correlation were the statistics used. P < .05 was considered statistically significant. Major findings revealed that burns patients and care givers of under-aged burns patients experienced physical, financial, psychological and social burden. There was no significant relationship between age and psychological burden (P > 0.05), as well as between gender and social burden (P > 0.05). Significant relationship existed between percentage area of burn injury and physical burden of adult burns patients (P < 0.05). However no significant relationship existed between percentage area of burn of under-aged patients and physical burden of care givers of these patients (P > 0.05). Based on these findings, it was concluded that burdens are perceived by burns patients and their care givers. These burdens are increasingly perceived with increased total burns surface area and long hospitalization involved in the course of treatment. The study recommends the integration of patients in their care for improved patient outcome, arrangements for patients to meet with burns survivors to raise their hope, training and retraining of nursing manpower/utility staff to assist patients incapacitated by extensive burns, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) for all to reduce out of pocket expenses and financial burden.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title i

Approval ii

Certification iii

Dedication iv

Acknowledgement v

Table of Contents vi

List of Tables ix

List of Figures x

Abstract xi

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study 1

Statement of the Problem 4

Purpose of the Study 4

Objectives of the Study 5

Research Question 5

Hypothesis 5

Significance of the Study 6

Scope of the Study 6

Operational Definition of Terms 7

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Conceptual Review 10

The Concept of Perception 10

The Concept of Burns 11

Psychosocial Needs and Care of Burns Patients 13

Physical Burden Experienced by Burn Patients 17

Financial Burden Experienced by Burn Patient 18

Effects of Long Hospitalization 19

Concept of Care Giving 20

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Care Giving Burden 20

Theoretical Review 21

Conceptual Model 24

Application of the Theory 25

Empirical Review 26

Summary of Reviewed Literature 34

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODS

Research Design 36

Area of Study 36

Population of the Study 37

Sample 37

Inclusion Criteria 37

Instrument for Data Collection 38

Validity of the Instrument 38

Reliability of the Instrument 39

Ethical Consideration 39

Procedure for Data Collection 39

Method of data Analysis 40

CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF RESULTS

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

Discussion of Major Findings 58

Implications of the Study 62

Conclusion 63

Limitation of the Study 63

Suggestions for Further Study 63

Summary of the study 64

Recommendations 65

REFERENCES 66

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APPENDICES

Appendix I 71

Appendix II 76

Appendix III 81

Appendix IV 82