Results of a one-day, descriptive study of quality of life in patients with chronic wounds.

ABSTRACT

Quality of life is a subjectively interpreted phenomenon that can be profoundly altered by the presence of a wound. Particularly when complete and expedient healing seems unrealistic, quality of life becomes the focus of care. To assess the influence of a variety of chronic wounds on patient quality of life, a 1-day, descriptive study was conducted among 50 consecutive outpatients (64% men, 36% women; age range 14 to 78 years) with chronic wounds who attended the Wound Clinic of the University Hospital, Varanasi, India. A quality-of-life questionnaire containing six parameters (physical activities, feelings, household duties, leisure time activities, social relations, and general activities) was developed and administered. Demographic information was available as a result of a previous study at this institution. Quality-of-life scores were grouped as satisfactory and unsatisfactory and participants were grouped by age (<30 years old, 30 to 60 years old, >60 years old). Wounds were classified by cause (diabetes, venous disease, pressure ulcer, and tuberculosis) and size (<10 cm2, 10 to 50 cm2, >50 cm2). The most common site was the lower limb or foot (39, 78%), followed by upper limb (six, 12%) and head, neck, and trunk (five, 10%). More than half (28, 56%) of all patients had an unsatisfactory overall quality-of-life score. The percentage of patients with satisfactory scores was higher in patients with smaller versus larger wounds and wounds located on upper rather than lower limbs, as well as in middle-aged versus younger or older patients. This patient-centered instrument helped document important quality-of-life concerns among chronic wound patients.