J Trauma
-
Multicenter Study
Measuring health status among survivors of burn injury: revisions of the Burn Specific Health Scale.
This study examined the reliability of a revised version of the Burn Specific Health Scale (BSHS). Two hundred fifty-four former patients recruited from eight burn centers in the southeastern United States participated in the study. Data were collected via chart review and mailed questionnaire. ⋯ Each subscale exhibited a high level of reliability (Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.82 to 0.94). Each subscale also correlated in a predictable manner with measures used for validation. The revised measure should improve the ability of both researchers and clinicians to assess the impact of non-fatal burn injury accurately and comprehensively.