Quality of life in patients with diabetic foot ulcer in Visegrad countries

Abstract

Aims and objectives: To identify the quality of life of patients with diabetic foot ulcers in the Visegrad countries.

Background: The diabetics with foot ulcers are principally evaluated on the basis of physical parameters, but this does not always reveal much about the patient's experience of life with ulceration.

Design: The cross-sectional study.

Methods: The standardised generic questionnaire World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF was used. The sample was made up of 525 participants and the calculations were performed using the IBM spss statistical program.

Results: The significant negative correlations between demographic data such as age, duration of diabetes mellitus, duration of diabetic ulceration treatment and a lower level of quality of life were found across the sample. The statistically significant differences according to clinical characteristics such as Wagner classification, frequency of foot ulcers, present peripheral vascular disease and pain in terms of quality of life were also revealed. Significant differences of quality of life among Visegrad countries were revealed: Hungary's participants had a worse quality of life than others, while Slovak participants expressed lower satisfaction with their health than Czech.

Conclusions: Socio-demographic factors and clinical characteristics influence the quality of life of patients with diabetic foot ulcer. Significant differences between patients of Visegrad countries were found in all domains of quality of life: physical, psychological, social and environmental.

Relevance to clinical practice: The quality of life of patients with diabetic foot ulcer reflects the conditions and healthcare system in each of the Visegrad countries. We have to respect socio-demographic factors and clinical characteristics in nursing care. This could have an impact on managing patient care not only with regard to their diabetic foot ulcer but also with regard to the patient as a personality with their own problems in relation to physical, psychosocial and environmental conditions.

Keywords: Visegrad countries; World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF questionnaire; diabetic foot ulcer; quality of life.