A qualitative study to analyse the reasons for delayed medical treatment in diabetic foot patients based on a health ecology model / 中国实用护理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To explore the reasons for delayed medical treatment in diabetic foot patients using the health ecology model as a framework.Methods:From November of 2021 to March of 2022, descriptive phenomenological research methods was used in 20 patients with diabetic foot who delayed medical treatment were interviewed face-to-face semi-structured in depth, and the data analysis was carried out using the seven-step method of Colaizzi phenomenology to refine the theme.Results:According to the five levels of the health ecology model, the reasons for delayed medical treatment were summarized into 11 themes, and the reasons for the personal trait layer included foot ulcers are not detected promptly, and the perceptual decline of advanced patients. Behavioral characteristics included lack of knowledge of diabetic foot, negative medical psychology. Reasons for the interpersonal network included insufficient family support and lack of social support; reasons for living and working conditions included high economic pressure, low electronic health literacy, and inconvenient medical treatment; the reasons for the policy environment included uneven medical insurance reimbursement ratios and limited medical conditions.Conclusions:The reason for the delay in seeking medical treatment for diabetic foot patients is multi-layered and systematic, and medical staff need to improve the self-management ability of diabetic patients′ feet from the individual level, and also need to guide patients from the system level on how to obtain the best medical resources.