Mental health support key for burn survivors to tackle stigma and discrimination: Study

New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) Providing mental health support is essential for burn survivors to help them tackle the stigma and discrimination, according to a study.

While survival rates among burn patients have increased with better medical care, they are subjected to stigma and discrimination in hospitals and healthcare settings, said the researchers.

The study, based in Uttar Pradesh, found that institutional neglect, under-resourced facilities, overburdened staff, and systemic failures are some reasons for burns patients receiving discriminatory and low quality of care.

It can result in emotional, physical, and psychological damage, particularly for patients with visible disfigurements or disability and those from underprivileged backgrounds.

“Burn survivors, particularly women and poor people receive blame and isolation and face neglect in hospitals. At the same time, overworked and under-supported healthcare staff struggle with burnout, which can lead to unintentional but harmful behaviour towards patients,” said Pratishtha Singh, The George Institute for Global Health.

"Addressing both patient experiences and system challenges is key to building compassionate and fair burn care," Singh added.

Burns is a major public health problem. Worldwide, there are about 180,000 deaths each year, with the greatest burden in low- and middle-income countries.

India contributes to the largest burden approximately 2.1 million burn injuries, 25,000 deaths, and more than 1.4 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) annually.

The research, published in the peer-reviewed journal Burns, also proposed a set of policy and practice recommendations to address these gaps.

The recommendations include introducing structured training and counselling for healthcare providers on burns-related stigma, patient-centred care, and mental health support; updating medical and nursing curricula on aspects of burn recovery.

The team also suggested strengthening hospital-based support systems including mental health services and rehabilitation pathways, especially in public facilities; and to develop and implement anti-discrimination policies by engaging multiple stakeholders, including government departments, legal aid services, and civil society.

--IANS

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