Psychological Impacts of Pediatric and Adult Burns Injuries: A Scoping Review

Burn injuries posit a significant public health burden particularly, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Beyond the physical impact on individuals, burn injuries have prolonged psychological effect that distress the emotional well-being. Over the years, survival rates from burns have improved due to advanced medical care. However, these gains have been overshadowed by the emotional disturbance that the victims have to endure during treatment and after recovery. Literature shows that a majority of burn survivors experience some form of persistent or unresolved psychological challenges affecting their quality of life. This paper reviewed and synthesized literature on psychological impact of adult and pediatric burns injuries. Articles were searched in PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO (psychology/mental health focus), CINAHL (nursing & allied health), Scopus, and Embase (biomedical focus) from 2010 to 2025. A further search of relevant articles was done in Google Scholar. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to synthesize the findings from the studies. The search yielded a total of 1362 relevant titles, and after excluding all the articles that didn’t meet inclusion criteria, a total of 39 articles were included in the review. The most common psychological health outcomes among patients with burn injuries include, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, fear, stigma, self-esteem, concerns about self- image, and being suicidal. Women, young people, patients who lack emotional and social support are the most affected. Healthcare systems should recognize the significance of screening for psychological disorders on burn injury patients and integrating post-conventional treatment and psychological support in recovery.