Development of a Brief Version of the Burn Specific Health Scale (BSHS-B)

TLDR

The Burn Specific Health Scale (BSHS) is an outcome measure created for burn patients and has previously been shortened to BSHS‑A and revised to BSHS‑R. The study aimed to refine the scale for clinical use through a factor‑analytic approach. Two hundred forty‑eight of 350 former Uppsala Burn Unit patients completed 94 items, and principal‑components analysis produced a 40‑item instrument. The resulting Burn Specific Health Scale‑Brief (BSHS‑B) contains nine reliable domains and better captures post‑burn distress than the earlier BSHS‑R.

Abstract

Background The Burn Specific Health Scale (BSHS) is an outcome scale designed specifically for burn patients. The scale has been abbreviated (BSHS-A) and revised (BSHS-R). We used a factor analytic approach to further improve the scale for clinical use. Methods Two hundred forty-eight of 350 former patients (70.9%) treated at the Uppsala Burn Unit between 1980 and 1995 responded to 94 ques-tions from previous versions of the BSHS. Results Principal components factor analyses were used to derive an instrument with 40 items called the Burn Specific Health Scale-Brief (BSHS-B), resulting in nine well-defined domains with intercorrelations ranging from 0.11 to 0.56, and Chronbach's factor alphas ranging from 0.75 to 0.93. The domains describe function with respect to Heat Sensitivity, Affect, Hand Function, Treatment Regimens, Work, Sexuality, Interpersonal Relationships, Simple Abilities, and Body Image. Conclusion The BSHS-B is a valid but shorter alternative to the previously described BSHS-A. Important domains of postburn distress are captured better in the BSHS-B than in the BSHS-R.