Children with non-severe burns may experience ongoing psychosocial challenges. This study aimed to identify whether demographic, cultural, and clinical factors present at the time of injury were associated with worse caregiver-reported psychosocial outcomes 12 months after the burn. This longitudinal, observational cohort study recruited children aged ≥2 years following admission for acute, non-severe burns at Perth Children’s Hospital. Demographic and family information (age, sex, postcode, parental education, languages spoken at home) and clinical data (burn cause, TBSA%, location, surgical interventions, length of stay) were collected at baseline. At 12 months, caregivers completed the Brisbane Burn Scar Impact Profile (BBSIP).
Multivariate analysis revealed that being female was associated with an eleven-fold increase in overall psychosocial impact (p = 0.033), particularly in domains of sensory sensitivity, mobility, and parental worry. Families who spoke a language other than English (LOTE) at home reported a nine-fold greater overall impact (p = 0.052), including challenges with sensory intensity, daily routines, appearance, and increased parental concern. All LOTE participants spoke English proficiently, suggesting that cultural, rather than linguistic, factors may have influenced perceived outcomes. Languages spoken reflected rich cultural diversity, predominantly South Asian (e.g., Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam), with additional representation from East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Europe.
Female sex and speaking a language other than English at home were associated with greater caregiver-perceived psychosocial burden 12 months postburn. These findings underscore the importance of culturally sensitive, gender-informed psychosocial support for families following paediatric burn injuries.