The Psychosocial Characteristics and Needs of Patients Presenting with Orofacial Injury

Abstract

Summary Individuals presenting with orofacial injury to urban trauma centers in the US tend to be disproportionately socioeconomically disadvantaged, young, adult, ethnic minority males. Most injuries are assaultive in origin, thus suggesting poor impulse control and maladaptive social behaviors. Compared to matched control populations, orofacial patients are more likely to report higher levels of substance use behaviors and manifest greater levels hostility, anxiety and depression. Although they have significantly greater current and lifetime mental health and social service needs, actual use of social services is relatively low. The underlying psychosocial characteristics of many orofacial injury patients along with unmet service needs render them vulnerable for post-trauma psychological sequelae and may compromise functional outcomes and recovery.

Psychosocial and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) Aspect of Oral and Maxillofacial Trauma

“…The reason for this observation is that motorcycle operators were predominantly males [34]. This pattern is in agreement with previous findings were male preponderance was reported [42,43,48]. Psychosocial and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) Aspect of Oral and Maxillofacial… DOI: http://dx.doi.org /10.5772/intechopen.86875 The overall mean age for the study population was 33.2 (SD ± 12.5) years.…”

“…Assault-related maxillofacial injuries remain the main cause of maxillofacial trauma in industrialized nations [28,48,49]. This was not observed in this study as assault accounted for only 6 (7.5%) cases of facial trauma.…”

“…Injured patients are typically unemployed, socially disadvantaged, mostly males from their mid-twenties to their mid-thirties [48]. They had likely been exposed to prior traumatic events, though they typically did not currently have PTSD from these events at the time of the orofacial injury [48].…”

Impact of trauma and surgical treatment on the quality of life of patients with facial fractures

“…25 This may result in an increased risk of developing psychosocial sequelae. [2][3][4] At 90 days after surgery, there was a significant improvement in the quality of life of patients who had received surgical treatment (especially mandibular fracture and multiple facial fracture patients). The reporting of pain decreased considerably, because there was a reduction in oedema, reduction of trismus, and the soft tissue had healed.…”

“…Facial trauma is considered one of the most devastating events in a patient's life as it usually results in physiognomic deformities and possible emotional consequences. [1][2][3][4][5] Due to the increase in occurrence of facial trauma during the last four decades, important discussions on this topic have taken place. Currently, it is thought that the main aetiological factors are alcohol and drug use, car accidents, and increasing urban violence.…”