Factors Influencing Resilience of Burn Patients in South Korea.

PURPOSE: To examine and identify the factors influencing the degree of resilience among Korean burn patients.

DESIGN: A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed.

METHODS: The study sample consisted of 138 burn patients recovering from the acute phase in H hospital, Seoul. The male patient participants numbered 93 (67.4%) and the female participants numbered 45 (32.6%). The average age of the participants was 46.79 years. Measures used were the Beck Depression Inventory, State Trait Anxiety Inventory, self-esteem scale, family support scale, and resilience scale.

FINDINGS: The analyses showed that the prediction model for resilience among burn patients was significant (F = 33.94, p < .001). The value of the adjusted R2 was 0.492, which corresponds to the explanatory power of 49.2%. The factor that was found to have the most influence on resilience among burn patients was self-esteem (β = .35), followed by family support (β = .29).

CONCLUSIONS: This study provides preliminary evidence that self-esteem is a major and primary predictor of resilience among burn patients, next followed by family support.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In the nursing practice, nurses need to pay attention to the burn patient's self-esteem and family support. Concrete interventions and strategies to improve the resilience of burn patients are needed.