[Determination of subacute and chronic period sleep quality in burn patients]

The aim of this study was to determine the sleep quality of patients treated at burn center.

The present study is descriptive research conducted between January 2014 and July 2015 at a university hospital. The study included 36 patients (32 male, 4 female; mean age 26.69±9.63; range 19 to 60 years). Patient information form and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used to collect data. SPSS software (version 22.0; SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was used for the analysis of the data, and statistical significance was regarded as p<0.05 in all analyses.

Burn injuries of 50% of the patients were due to flash burn that occurred in the house. Complications developed in 52.8% of the patients. PSQI score average of the patients was 9.30±4.03 and 86.5% of them suffer from poor sleep quality. It was found that there was a statistically significant correlation (p<0.05) between Pittsburgh Sleep Quality averages and patient being in the intensive care unit (ICU), education level, percentage of area burned, length of time that had passed since the burn, and medication (antidepressant or antipsychotic).

The sleep quality of patients in the study was found to be of poor degree. It is known that after burn injury, sufficient sleep enhances the function of natural defense cells, protein synthesis, and release of growth hormones, thereby healing the burn injuries. Information about patient sleep quality and sleep problems can lead to the development of nursing care for patients suffering from burns.