The Risk of Depression Among Burn Injury Survivors; A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Depression is a prevalent psychological complication among burn injury survivors. Affected patients face increased risks of prolonged hospitalization, additional surgical and reconstructive interventions, higher healthcare utilization, and suicidal ideation. This systematic review and meta-analysis quantified depression prevalence by severity and examined factors associated with post-burn depression.

We searched twelve databases from inception to 14 June 2023. We included clinical studies comparing the demographic, burn-related, or management-related factors between patients with depression and patients without depression among burn injury survivors.

Of the pooled 2,957 patients from ten articles, 36.8% experienced depression. Among those with depression, 33.1% had mild, 34.0% had moderate, and 10.8% had severe depression. Meta-analysis indicated an overall depression prevalence of 60.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 44.5-74.8%). Patients with total body surface area > 30% had 2.48 times higher risk of depression. Age, gender, marital status, burn type, burn degree, and burn site did not significantly influence risk of depression among burn injury survivors.

Depression affects approximately two-fifths of burn survivors, with one-quarter experiencing moderate depression and one-tenth severe depression, especially in major burns. Systematic psychological assessment and standardized mental health interventions are warranted to optimize recovery and quality of life.