Authors : Jayalakshmi Muthu Srinivasan, Edvina Princy
Volume : 1
Issue : 3
Year : 2020
Page No : 74-89
Background: Diabetic foot ulcers, an important factor of mortality among DM patients, have a massive impact on the quality of life (QOL) of patients. Recent study aimed to investigate impact of chronic wound on quality of life among diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) patients. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted at the Foot Care clinic in a private hospital, Guwahati, Assam. Data was collected using a proforma, consisting of socio-demographic variables, Wagner Ulcer Classification and Cardiff Wound Impact Questionnaire (CWIQ) for data collection. Analysis of the data was done using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Results: Participants were 118 DFU patients with type 1& 2 DM of which 81.4 % were male and 18.6% were female. About 66% were in Grade 2 and 38 % were Grade 3 of Wagner Ulcer Classification. Overall mean score for QOL was 6.27 while overall mean score for satisfaction on QoL was 7.01.Patients had highest score in the well-being domain and lowest in the social life stress. Computation of correlation matrix and factor analysis showed positive correlation between QoL and satisfaction, negative correlation between QoL and satisfaction with stressful experience of social life and physical symptoms experience. (p<0.05, 0.01 ). Multiple regression analysis reveals that of ‘satisfaction’ had significant impact on QoL(p<0.001) with r Sq=62.59%. Factor analysis of correlation matrix found that physical symptoms and daily living experiences and social experiences and stress dominated factor 1 followed by satisfaction led QoL in factor 2 and social life stress was leading force in Factor 3. Conclusion: Quality of life of patients with diabetic foot ulcers can be improved by educating the diabetic patients on the prevention and early detection of foot ulcers and other diabetic complications benefits of availing health care facility.