BACKGROUND: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are now well-established tools to evaluate the quality of patient-centred care. Due to the multi-faceted and multi-disciplinary nature of the practice of burn care, as well as the range of significant potential sequelae, PROM\'s should form a fundamental component of burn quality improvement programs. We aim to 1. Explore biological, psychological, and social considerations that are currently listed in burn-specific PROM tools, as well as their efficacy, 2. Evaluate biological, psychological, and social factors that are considered in new burn-specific PROM tools or those under development, and 3. Identify any opportunities with respect to burn-specific PROM tools, in order to inform future investigation in this area.
METHODS: A search was performed of MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library databases. Two independent reviewers screened article titles/abstracts and then the full texts using Covidence. All studies were graded independently according to the Quality Rating Scheme for Studies and Other Evidences.
RESULTS: The initial search yielded 552 references. Based on ab initio inclusion and exclusion criteria, 133 full-text studies were assessed for eligibility, and 21 articles were ultimately included in the systematic review. Due to study heterogeneity, a qualitative synthesis was conducted. Existing burn-specific PROMs covered a range of biological, psychological, and social factors affecting adult and paediatric patients with burn injury, but several studies required additional PROMs for a thorough evaluation. Burn-specific PROM tools under development are poised to fill this deficit.
CONCLUSIONS: Major burn injuries are a unique form of trauma, requiring coordinated management that considers numerous factors not relevant to other patient populations. Further research is necessary to validate existing burn-specific PROM tools and to develop more comprehensive burn-specific PROM measures that more comprehensively incorporate the bio-psycho-social model of health.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of scalds induced by \"guo lian kang\" (literally \"stove connected to bed\") in children.
METHODS: The demographic, burn features, outcome, and other information of 0-14-year-old children with \"guo lian kang\"-induced scalds admitted to the burn treatment center of the 322 Hospital of the People\'s Liberation Army in Datong from 30 September 2001 to 31 December 2011 were analyzed.
RESULTS: Among the 1993 children clearly documented with scalds due to hot liquid in vessels, 795 (39.89%) had burns due to \"guo lian kang.\" The proportion of the pediatric burns caused by \"guo lian kang\" was 55.56% in 2002 and 37.30% in 2011, with a decreasing trend. One-year-old children accounted for the highest proportion of children with burns due to \"guo lian kang\" (male:female=1.54:1). Scalding mostly occurred from October to May; the most common times were around 8:00 AM, 11:00 AM, and 7:00 PM. Most scalds occurred on the upper limbs, 90.22% of which were dermal burns. The median burn area was 11% of the total body surface area. The burn agent was mainly hot water in pots. Scalding mostly occurred when the children accidentally sat on, or fell or stepped into the pot while playing. Among the children with \"guo lian kang\"-induced scalds, up to 42.26% of the children did not receive any treatment before hospital admission, and 18.86% of the children were admitted to the hospital ≥6h after the occurrence of burns. In addition, 74.97% of the children\'s families can afford the medical expenses, while 5.28% abandoned treatment because of financial difficulties. There were no significant differences between children with scalds caused by \"guo lian kang\" and scalds caused due to other reasons considering the age and sex. Compared to scalds due to other reasons, children with \"guo lian kang\"-induced scalds had greater burn area and depth, shock incidence, surgery rate, blood transfusion rate, length of hospital stay, and hospitalization costs.
CONCLUSIONS: Preventive measures against burns should be taken from October to May and mainly during cooking time in order to prevent burns in children less than 3 years of age, especially in 1-year-old boys. The most simple and effective preventive measure is to install a barrier between the pot and bed. The incidence of shock in children may be reduced if parents and primary medical staff undergo training to perform first aid for burns and if there are improvements in the referral system after burns.