Examination of the Role of Peer Support and Social Comfort on Community Reintegration and Quality of Life of Burn Survivors

This effort is a descriptive, exploratory research study constructed to examine the role of peer support on level of social comfort, community re-integration, and quality of life of burn survivors. Burn injuries require extensive physical and psychosocial recovery; and very few studies exist that have researched the benefit of peer support in post-bum adjustment. No measurement tools exist in the literature to assist with this research. The random sample utilized in this study will be drawn from the membership of The Phoenix Society. Created in 1977 as an international non-profit national organization for burn survivors and run by burn survivors, it offers extensive resources and support for burn survivors and their families. The impact of support services such as those offered by this organization has not yet been empirically examined or supported by data. They offer fonnalized support services such as the Survivors Offering Assistance in Recovery (SOAR) program (a peer supporter program), as well as resources and infonnal to assist established bum survivor support groups such as that established at the Cleveland HealthMetro Hospital in Cuyahoga County.