Exploring the Association between Hemochromatosis and Lower-Limb Venous Disease.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic venous disease is a circulatory system dysfunction that has the potential to lead to venous leg ulceration. Although research on the influence of specific gene variants on chronic venous disease has been limited, a few studies have reported an association between hemochromatosis and chronic venous disease. However, no studies have looked at the prevalence of lower-limb venous disease and leg ulcers in people with hemochromatosis. This study aimed to review the existing literature for any association between venous disease and hemochromatosis and investigate the prevalence of venous disease and leg ulcers in people with hemochromatosis. METHODS: Scoping systematic literature review and cross-sectional study surveying people with hemochromatosis. RESULTS: This scoping systematic literature review included nine articles and indicated a link between hemochromatosis and venous disease/leg ulcers, although further studies are needed to support this link. Analysis of survey results from people with hemochromatosis found a 9.2% prevalence of leg ulcers in those with self-reported hemochromatosis, considerably higher than the 1% to 3% expected, suggesting that hemochromatosis gene variants may be associated with the pathogenesis of chronic venous disease and leg ulcers. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first known study to complete a review of the literature regarding hemochromatosis and venous leg ulcers and document the association between hemochromatosis and venous disease/leg ulcers. There is a lack of research in this area and hence limited evidence to guide practice.

The Lindsay Leg Club® Well Leg Regime: an evidence review.

This article aims to review the scarce available evidence on the effectiveness of the Well Leg Programme within the Lindsay Leg Clubs in terms of preventing wound recurrence and improving members' wellbeing. It collates the numerical data on members' wounds and healing rates from the Lindsay Leg Club relational database and members' narratives from a qualitative service evaluation of the Lindsay Leg Clubs. Findings of the review suggest that remaining within the Well Leg regime for several months (or longer) after having had a healed ulcer seems to provide further opportunity to prevent recurrence, and may also provide non-clinical benefits, such as improved wellbeing. Based on the review of available published evidence into the effectiveness of the Well Leg regime, we conclude that there is scope for further studies, including a comparison with other existing treatment and prevention protocols.

A qualitative exploration of adherence to wearing removable cast walkers in patients with diabetic foot ulcers.

OBJECTIVE: To explore adherence to wearing removable cast walkers (RCWs) among patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). METHOD: A qualitative study was conducted by interviewing patients with active DFUs and using knee-high RCWs as their offloading treatment. The interviews were undertaken at two diabetic foot clinics in Jordan, using a semi-structured guide. Data were analysed through content analysis by developing main themes and categories. RESULTS: Following interviews with 10 patients, two main key themes with a total of six categories were identified: theme 1-reporting of adherence levels was inconsistent, included two categories: i) a belief in achieving optimal adherence, and ii) non-adherence was often reported indoors; and theme 2-adherence was a consequence of multiple psychosocial, physiological and environmental factors, which included four categories: i) specific offloading knowledge or beliefs influenced adherence; ii) severity of foot disease influenced adherence; iii) social support benefitted adherence; and iv) physical features of RCWs (the usability of the offloading device) impacted adherence. CONCLUSION: Patients with active DFUs reported inconsistent levels of adherence to wearing RCWs which, after deeper investigation, seemed to be due to participants' misperceptions of the optimal adherence. Adherence to wearing RCWs also seemed to be impacted by multiple psychosocial, physiological and environmental factors.

Clinical correlates of pain in adults with hard-to-heal leg ulcers: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Pain is a complex symptom associated with hard-to-heal (chronic) leg ulcers that is often poorly managed. The objective of this study was to gain greater understanding by investigating relationships between physical and psychosocial factors, and pain severity in adults with hard-to-heal leg ulcers. METHOD: A secondary analysis of data collected for a longitudinal, observational study of adults with hard-to-heal leg ulcers was undertaken. Data were collected over a 24-week period, including variables relating to sociodemographics, clinical variables, medical status, health, ulcer and vascular histories, and psychosocial measures. Multiple linear regression modelling was used to determine the independent influences of these variables on pain severity, as measured with a Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). RESULTS: Of 142 participants who were recruited, 109 met the inclusion criteria for this study, of whom: 43.1% had venous ulcers; 41.3% had mixed ulcers; 7.3% had arterial ulcers; and 8.3% had ulcers from some other cause. The final model explained 37% (adjusted r2=0.370) of the variation in the pain NRS scores. Controlling for analgesic use, salbutamol use (p=0.005), clinical signs of infection (p=0.027) and ulcer severity (p=0.001) were significantly associated with increased pain, while the presence of diabetes (p=0.007) was significantly associated with a decrease in pain. CONCLUSION: Pain is a highly complex and pervasive symptom associated with hard-to-heal leg ulcers. Novel variables were identified as being associated with pain in this population. The model also included wound type as a variable; however, despite being significantly correlated to pain at the bivariate level of analysis, in the final model, the variable did not reach significance. Of the variables included in the model, salbutamol use was the second most significant. This is a unique finding that, to the authors' knowledge, has not been previously reported or studied. Further research is required to better understand these findings and pain in general.

The Validity and Reliability of Self-Reported Adherence to Using Offloading Treatment in People with Diabetes-Related Foot Ulcers.

Adherence to using offloading treatment is crucial to healing diabetes-related foot ulcers (DFUs). Offloading adherence is recommended to be measured using objective monitors. However, self-reported adherence is commonly used and has unknown validity and reliability. This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of self-reported adherence to using removable cast walker (RCW) offloading treatment among people with DFUs. Fifty-three participants with DFUs using RCWs were included. Each participant self-reported their percentage adherence to using their RCW of total daily steps. Participants also had adherence objectively measured using dual activity monitors. After one week, a subset of 19 participants again self-reported their percentage adherence to investigate test-retest reliability. Validity was tested using Pearson's r and Bland-Altman tests, and reliability using Cohen's kappa. Median (IQR) self-reported adherence was greater than objectively measured adherence (90% (60-100) vs. 35% (19-47), p < 0.01). There was fair agreement (r = 0.46; p < 0.01) and large 95% limits of agreement with significant proportional bias (ß = 0.46, p < 0.01) for validity, and minimal agreement for test-retest reliability (K = 0.36; p < 0.01). The validity and reliability of self-reported offloading adherence in people with DFU are fair at best. People with DFU significantly overestimate their offloading adherence. Clinicians and researchers should instead use objective adherence measures.

International validation of a venous leg ulcer risk assessment tool.

OBJECTIVE: To internationally validate a tool for predicting the risk of delayed healing of venous leg ulcers (VLUs). METHOD: A 10-item tool including sociodemographic factors, venous history, ulcer and lower limb characteristics, compression and mobility items to determine the risk of delayed healing of VLUs has previously been developed and validated in Australia. This study prospectively validated this tool using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) methods; using the area under the curve (AUC) to quantify the discriminatory capability of the tool to analyse the international populations of the UK, Austria and New Zealand. RESULTS: The validation of the tool in the UK, Austria and New Zealand has indicated that the model has moderate discrimination and goodness-of-fit with an AUC of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.66-0.82) for the total risk assessment score. CONCLUSION: The international validation of a risk assessment tool for delayed healing of VLUs will allow clinicians globally to be able to determine realistic outcomes from an early assessment and to be able to guide early tailored interventions to address the specific modifiable risk factors and thus promote timely healing.

Differences in adherence to using removable cast walker treatment during daytime and nighttime weight-bearing activities in people with diabetes-related foot ulcers.

Aims: Patients' adherence to using knee-high offloading treatment is critical to effective healing of diabetes-related foot ulcers (DFUs). Previous studies have found that patients generally have low adherence to using removable knee-high offloading treatments, yet no study has investigated whether their adherence differs during daytime and nighttime. This study aimed to investigate the levels and factors associated with adherence to using knee-high removable cast walker (RCW) treatment during daytime and nighttime weight-bearing activities in people with DFUs. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of data collected from a multi-centre cross-sectional study investigating adherence to using knee-high RCWs among 57 participants with DFUs. All participants had multiple socio-demographic, physiological and psychosocial factors collected, before having their adherence to using RCWs during weight-bearing activity monitored over a 1-week period using the dual activity monitor method. Adherence data were categorised into daytime (06:00-18:00) and nighttime (18:00-06:00) periods and calculated separately. Multiple linear regression was used to identify factors associated with daytime and nighttime adherence. Results: Mean adherence to using RCW during weight-bearing activities in people with DFUs was higher during daytime compared with nighttime [39.9% (SD = 18.9) versus 20.4% (SD = 16.7), p < 0.001]. Factors independently associated with lower adherence during daytime were being male, longer diabetes duration, not having peripheral artery disease (PAD), and higher perceived RCW heaviness. Factors associated with lower adherence during nighttime were higher mean daytime steps, not having retinopathy and having dyslipidaemia. Conclusions: Adherence to using RCWs during weight-bearing activities reduced significantly at nighttime compared with daytime among people with DFUs, and this was associated with different factors. Interventions to improve adherence, in research and clinical practice, should incorporate methods to target daytime or nighttime adherence specifically.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Reliability Testing of Arabic Versions of Several Diabetic Foot Psychosocial Scales.

The main aims of this study were cross-cultural adaptation and reliability testing of an Arabic version of Foot Care Confidence Scale (FCCS), Foot Care Outcomes Expectations Scale (FCOES), Patient Interpretation of Neuropathy Scales (PINS), Neuropathy-specific Quality of Life Scales (NQOLS), and offloading-related Visual Analog Scales (VAS). Two phases of translation and reliability testing were conducted in Jordan. Phase 1 included 2 forward and backward translations with 2 panel consensuses (translators, clinicians, and experts). In Phase 2, Cronbach's alpha (α) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used to test the internal consistency and stability (test-retest) of the Arabic scales in a sample of a total of 90 Jordanian participants with diabetic foot ulcers. Phase 1 resulted in Arabic translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the study scales. Phase 2 resulted in acceptable internal consistency of the translated scales (α = 0.74-0.91), except for the PIN "self/practitioner blame" and "acute ulcer onset" scales (α = 0.57, 0.49, respectively). Test-retest results (ICC) were: FCCS (0.85); FCOES (0.78); PINS (0.043-0.85); NQOLS (0.76-0.90); and offloading-related VAS (0.43-0.90). This study showed evidence of cultural appropriateness and reliability of most of the translated scales, for possible future implementation for the Arabic population.

Surgical wound assessment tool: Construct validity and inter-rater reliability of a tool designed for nurses.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To validate construct validity and inter-rater reliability of a surgical wound assessment tool. BACKGROUND: Wound assessment is central to appropriate wound management. However, limited standard surgical wound assessment tools are available to assist nurses in assessing and recording progress in the healing of surgical wounds. DESIGN: A prospective observational study was utilised to test the validity and reliability. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guideline was used. METHODS: Convenience sampling was used to recruit 260 patients who underwent elective or emergency surgery at a hospital in Vietnam. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the construct validity of the surgical wound assessment tool. Inter-rater reliability was calculated using the intraclass correlation coefficient and Cohen's kappa to determine reliability of the overall scale and identified items. RESULTS: The results of the exploratory factor analysis supported a three-component structure of the surgical wound assessment tool. The intraclass correlation coefficient value of the overall scale was 0.79 (95% CI 0.67-0.89), p < .001, confirming excellent inter-rater reliability. Cohen's kappa value ranged from 0.5 to 1, demonstrating moderate to almost perfect level of agreement for individual items, except for one item on pain. CONCLUSION: The surgical wound assessment tool was deemed to be acceptable, valid and reliable for monitoring the status of surgical wound healing. However, further modification and testing are needed to strengthen the tool and to determine the applicability of the tool in other populations. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The application of the SWAT would improve the assessment of surgical wounds in daily nursing practice which will promote improved postoperative wound management. It is an easy and practical tool for enhancing inter-disciplinary communication and care outcomes for all patients with surgical wounds.

Risk factors for the recurrence of venous leg ulcers in adults: A systematic review protocol.

BACKGROUND: Venous leg ulcers are slow to heal, and recurrence is frequent. Living with venous leg ulcers can affect physical and psychological health, and result in financial burden for individuals. Physiological and psychosocial factors are associated with venous leg ulcer recurrence. As over 50% of venous leg ulcers will recur within 12 months of healing, a comprehensive knowledge of holistic risk factors associated with recurrence is required by health professionals involved in the care of the person with venous leg ulcers. AIM: To develop a systematic review protocol to determine the risk factors for recurrence of venous leg ulcers in adults. METHOD AND ANALYSIS: This protocol was developed according to the Preferred Reporting Items Form Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P). The inclusion criteria will be based on the PICOS mnemonic-adults with a history of venous leg ulcer/s (participants), risk factor/s under physiological (general/medical), clinical, demographics, psychosocial categories (I (intervention) or E (exposure), venous leg ulcer non-recurrence (comparison group), venous leg ulcer recurrence (outcomes to be measured) and will include study designs of original qualitative, quantitative and mixed method studies (study designs to be included). Methodological quality will be assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. This Systematic Review Protocol was registered in PROSPERO [CRD42021279792]. RESULTS: If meta-analysis is not possible, a narrative review of results will be presented. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review on recurrence of venous leg ulcers can provide evidence-based information for preventive strategies for recurrence of a healed venous leg ulcer. The standardised approach outlined in this systematic review protocol offers a rigorous and transparent method to conduct the review.

Development of a surgical wound assessment tool to measure healing and risk factors for delayed wound healing in Vietnam: a Delphi process.

OBJECTIVE: To identify items and develop a surgical wound assessment tool (SWAT) to measure progress in healing and early detection of risk factors for delayed healing in surgical wounds in patients in Vietnam. METHOD: The development process included two phases: (i) development of the initial SWAT based on evidence-based guidelines, results of a literature review and consultation with surgeons; and (ii) a Delphi process with wound care nurse experts to refine and provide consensus on a final version of the SWAT. Data collection took place between April-August 2017. RESULTS: In phase one, 22 items were included and were evaluated by ten Vietnamese surgeons, with item-content validity index (I-CVI) scores of 1.00 in 17 out of 22 items. The remaining items had I-CVI ranking of 0.8 to 0.9. The overall scale-content validity index was 0.97. Eight more items were recommended for inclusion, increasing the total to 30 items. In phase two, 21 Vietnamese nurse wound care experts completed all three rounds of the Delphi process. After three rounds, 24 items out of 30 reached full consensus for the final tool. CONCLUSION: This study was the first step to confirm the content validity of the newly developed SWAT. Further development of the tool including the evaluation of validity and reliability was undertaken to strengthen the tool.

Factors associated with adherence to using removable cast walker treatment among patients with diabetes-related foot ulcers.

INTRODUCTION: Adherence to using knee-high offloading treatment is critical for healing diabetes-related foot ulcers (DFUs). However, few studies have investigated patients' adherence to using knee-high offloading treatment. We aimed to investigate the levels and factors associated with adherence to using knee-high removable cast walker (RCW) treatment among patients with DFUs. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In this multicenter cross-sectional study, we investigated adherence to using knee-high RCWs in 57 participants with DFUs. All participants were clinically examined for multiple sociodemographic, physiological, and psychosocial factors. Each participant's adherence level to using RCWs was then objectively measured using dual activity monitors (attached to the wrist and RCW) over a 1-week period. Multiple linear regression was undertaken to determine those factors independently associated with adherence levels. RESULTS: The mean adherence level to using RCWs was 33.6% (SD 16.5) of weight-bearing activity. Factors independently associated with lower adherence levels were being male, longer diabetes duration, not having peripheral artery disease (PAD), and having higher perceived RCW heaviness (p≤0.05). No associations were found with psychosocial factors. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with DFUs adhered to using their RCWs on average for only a third of their prescribed weight-bearing treatment duration. Factors linked to lower RCW adherence levels were being male, longer diabetes duration, not having PAD, and perceived heavier RCWs. These findings highlight the importance of using gold standard non-removable knee-high offloading device treatment. Furthermore, these findings suggest, when gold standard devices are containdicated, that these factors be considered when prescribing the second choice RCW offloading treatment to optimise adherence. Regardless, further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these factors.

Understanding Skin Failure: A Scoping Review.

OBJECTIVE: To map the use of the term "skin failure" in the literature over time and enhance understanding of this term as it is used in clinical practice. DATA SOURCES: The databases searched for published literature included PubMed, Embase, the Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Google Scholar. The search for unpublished literature encompassed two databases, Open Gray and ProQuest Dissertation and Theses. STUDY SELECTION: Search terms included "skin failure," "acute skin failure," "chronic skin failure," and "end stage skin." All qualitative and quantitative research designs, editorial, opinion pieces, and case studies were included, as well as relevant gray literature. DATA EXTRACTION: Data collected included author, title, year of publication, journal name, whether the term "skin failure" was mentioned in the publication and/or in conjunction with other skin injury, study design, study setting, study population, sample size, main focus of the publication, what causes skin failure, skin failure definition, primary study aim, and primary outcome. DATA SYNTHESIS: Two main themes of skin failure were identified through this scoping review: the etiology of skin failure and the interchangeable use of definitions. CONCLUSIONS: Use of the term "skin failure" has increased significantly over the past 30 years. However, there remains a significant lack of empirical evidence related to skin failure across all healthcare settings. The lack of quality research has resulted in multiple lines of thinking on the cause of skin failure, as well as divergent definitions of the concept. These results illustrate substantial gaps in the current literature and an urgent need to develop a globally agreed-upon definition of skin failure, as well as a better understanding of skin failure etiology.

Postoperative wound assessment documentation and acute care nurses' perception of factors impacting wound documentation: A mixed methods study.

BACKGROUND: Wound care documentation is an essential component of best practice wound management in order to enhance inter-disciplinary communication and patient care. However, evidence suggests that wound care documentation is often carried out poorly and sporadically. OBJECTIVES: Determine postoperative wound assessment documentation by acute care nurses and explore their perception of factors constraining adequate nursing documentation. METHODS: A two-phase sequential exploratory mixed methods design was used. Phase one: A retrospective clinical chart audit of nurses' documentation was undertaken. A random selection of 200 medical records were reviewed over 3 months at a provincial hospital in Vietnam. Phase two: semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 surgical nurses to explore their perceptions of factors influencing appropriate documentation. Inductive qualitative content analysis was applied for qualitative data. This manuscript adheres to COREQ guidelines for reporting the qualitative phase. FINDINGS: Phase one: 200 records were audited. Less than 10% of preoperative factors (such as co-morbidities, smoking and nutrition status) related to the risk of delayed wound healing were documented. During the first 5 days postoperation, there was no documentation about incision location, wound dimension, wound bed (in wounds healing by secondary intention) or odour. In less than 10% colour and type of exudate were recorded. Phase two: Emerging key categories were: unimportance of nursing documentation, difficulty to change existing practice, and personal factors. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that surgical wound assessment documentation was insufficient and inconsistent among nurses. Nurses viewed the wound assessment documentation as unimportant. Therefore, extensive exploration of strategies is required to enhance the quality of wound assessment documentation.

Surgical wound assessment in Vietnam: a think-aloud technique and interview analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the key components of a surgical wound assessment tool that nurses in Vietnam could use when conducting a surgical wound assessment. The study also explored Vietnamese nurses' perceptions of current practices in surgical wound assessment and assessed their requirements for a surgical wound assessment tool. METHOD: Registered nurses from surgical wards in a Vietnamese hospital were invited to participate in this descriptive, qualitative study. A combination of the think-aloud technique and semi-structured interviews was undertaken. Transcribed responses were analysed using inductive content analysis to indicate how Vietnamese nurses undertook wound assessment and the data they collected. RESULTS: A total of 13 nurses took part. Data from both the think-aloud process and interviews indicated that nurses evaluated surgical wounds based on their experience and observation without using standard guidelines. Some components, such as wound edge, periwound skin, exudate volume and signs of infection, were identified by the nurses. Other wound characteristics, such as wound site, wound bed, exudate and pain, and risk factors were less frequently collected. Nurses expressed their need for a tool with comprehensive content, precise terms, user-friendly language and a scoring system to facilitate their wound assessment. CONCLUSION: Hospitals in Vietnam need a standard tool to help nurses improve surgical wound assessment in daily nursing practice, and to enhance multidisciplinary communication and patient care.

Exploring the prevalence and management of wounds for people with dementia in long-term care.

The prevalence of wounds and comorbidities such as dementia increase with age. With an ageing population, the likelihood of overlap of these conditions is strong. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of wound types and current management strategies of wound care for people with dementia in long-term care (LTC). A scoping literature review, a cross-sectional observational and chart audit study of residents in dementia specific facilities in LTC were conducted. The scoping review indicated that people with dementia/cognitive impairment are often excluded from wound related studies andof the nine studies included in this review, none looked at the prevalence of types of wounds other then pressure injuries. In the skin audit, skin tears were noted as the most common wound type with some evidence-based practice strategies in place for residents. However, documentation of current wound occurred in less than a third of residents with wounds. This is the first study to note the prevalence of different wound types in people with dementia and current management strategies being used across two dementia-specific facilities and a lack of research in this area limits evidence in guiding practice.

Acute Skin Failure in the Critically Ill Adult Population: A Systematic Review.

GENERAL PURPOSE: To present a systematic review of the literature conducted to define and extend knowledge of the risk factors, causes, and antecedent conditions of acute skin failure (ASF) in adult intensive care patients. TARGET AUDIENCE: This continuing education activity is intended for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses with an interest in skin and wound care. LEARNING OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES: After participating in this educational activity, the participant should be better able to:1. Outline the background information helpful for understanding the authors' systematic review of ASF in adult intensive care patients.2. Summarize the results of the authors' review of the risk factors, causes, and antecedent conditions of ASF in adult intensive care patients. ABSTRACT: To define and extend knowledge of the risk factors, causes, and antecedent conditions of acute skin failure (ASF) in the adult intensive care patient cohort.The Cochrane Library, Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence-Based Practice Database, PubMed, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Google Scholar.Studies were selected if they were qualitative or quantitative research that reported ASF in adult human patients in an ICU setting. The preliminary search yielded 991 records and 22 full texts were assessed for eligibility. A total of three records were included. Studies were appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.Data from the included studies were extracted by one reviewer and summarized in data collection tables that were checked and verified by a second reviewer.Study authors identified five independent predictors of ASF: peripheral vascular disease, mechanical ventilation longer than 72 hours, respiratory failure, liver failure, and sepsis. However, the term ASF was applied to retrospective cohorts of patients who developed severe pressure injuries. This, combined with the absence of evidence surrounding the assessment, clinical criteria, and diagnosis of ASF, could impact these variables' predictability relative to the condition.These results highlight a substantial evidence gap regarding the etiology, diagnostic biomarkers, and predictors of ASF. Further research focused on these gaps may contribute to an accurate and agreed-upon definition for ASF, as well as improved skin integrity outcomes.

Validation of predictive factors for infection in adults with chronic leg ulcers: A prospective longitudinal study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To validate the ability of factors to predict infection in adults with chronic leg ulcers over a 12-week period. BACKGROUND: Leg ulcers affect ~3% of older adults and are often hard to heal. Infection is a leading contributor for delayed healing, causing delayed wound healing, increased hospitalisation, increased healthcare costs and reduced patient quality of life. The importance of early identification of infection has been highlighted for decades, yet little is known about factors that are associated with increased risk of infection in this specific population. DESIGN: A longitudinal, prospective observational study in a single centre. METHODS: Between August 2017 and May 2018, a total of 65 adults with chronic leg ulcers were prospectively observed for a 12-week period. Patients were recruited from an outpatient wound clinic at a tertiary hospital in Australia. Data were collected from recruitment (baseline) and each visit (weekly or fortnightly) up until 12 weeks. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to identify predictive factors for infection. The TRIPOD guidelines for reporting were followed (See Data S1). RESULTS: The sample consisted of 65 adults with chronic leg ulcers, and 9.2% of these had their ulcer infected at baseline. Two predictive factors, using walking aids and gout, were found to be significantly related to increased likelihood of developing infection within 12 weeks. CONCLUSION: The present study showed that patients who either used walking aids or were diagnosed with gout were at greater risk of infection compared to those without these factors. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: These findings provide new information for clinicians in early identification of patients at risk of infection, and for patients in enhancing their awareness of their own risk.

Effectiveness of a theory-based foot care education program (3STEPFUN) in improving foot self-care behaviours and foot risk factors for ulceration in people with type 2 diabetes.

AIMS: To evaluate the effectiveness of a theory-based foot care education intervention program (3STEPFUN) for people with type 2 diabetes at low risk of developing a foot ulcer. METHODS: A controlled, pre-test/ post-test quasi-experimental design was used. From 119 participants, 60 participants in the control group received usual care and a foot care brochure. Those in the intervention group received (1) a small group intensive education and hands-on skills session; (2) a foot care kit and documents; and (3) three regular booster follow-up phone calls over 6 months. Generalised Estimating Equations models were undertaken to examine the impact of the intervention on outcomes over time. RESULTS: The intervention group had significantly improved outcomes compared to the control group over 6 months in the following aspects: improved preventive foot care behaviour (p = 0.001); and decreased prevalence of foot risk factors for ulceration (i.e. dry skin, corns/ callus) (OR: 0.04, 95% CI 0.01 - 0.13, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study's findings provide evidence of 3STEPFUN on improving foot self-care behaviour and preventing minor foot problems. Further study with formal RCT design and longer follow-up time to examine the effects on decreasing foot ulcer incidence is recommended.

Implementation of the Champions for Skin Integrity model to improve leg and foot ulcer care in the primary healthcare setting.

AIMS: To facilitate evidence-based leg and foot ulcer management through implementation of the Champions for Skin Integrity model to education in primary health care in Australia. BACKGROUND: Leg and foot ulcers are frequently seen wounds in general practice and wound care the most frequently performed activity by practice nurses. The literature reports the lack of evidence-based leg and foot ulcer assessment, management and prevention strategies in this setting, and previous research in regard to confidence and knowledge has indicated that general practice health professionals have the greatest need for education in wound care. DESIGN: Pre-post, nonequivalent group research design. METHODS: The Champions for Skin Integrity model of evidence-based wound management utilised strategies including workshops, development of Champions and use of resources. Pre- and post-implementation health professional surveys and patient clinical audits were completed. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables. Paired t tests identified statistically significant differences between the pre/post staff survey data. STROBE guidelines for reporting were followed (See Appendix S1). RESULTS: One hundred nine general practice healthcare professional staff attended the workshops. Significant outcomes were noted in increased levels of confidence in ability to assess, manage and prevent all types of leg and foot ulcers, as well as to apply evidence-based practice and change management following workshops. Pre- and post-skin audits also indicated an increase in evidence-based practices. CONCLUSION: Implementation of Champions for Skin Integrity strategies in this sample of primary healthcare professionals in general practice fostered a positive change in evidence-based wound management, assessment and prevention. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The Champions for Skin Integrity model has supported increases in evidence-based practices in treatment and management of wounds in primary healthcare professionals, similar to the positive outcomes gained in the aged care setting. This is likely to lead to positive outcomes for those with wounds in this setting.