Experience of adults and older people with adherence to venous ulcer care

A qualitative study of patients' experiences of living with hard-to-heal leg ulcers

BACKGROUND

Patients with hard-to-heal leg ulcers are often older and have underlying conditions that contribute to making wound healing more difficult. Hard-to-heal leg ulcers are often treated in primary care and form a large part of the district nurse's work.

AIM

To describe patients' experiences of living with hard-to-heal leg ulcers.

METHODS

This qualitative study undertook 18 interviews with patients in primary care with hard-to-heal leg ulcers.

FINDINGS

A total of three categories were identified: 'Living with changes in everyday life', 'Being dependent on care', and 'Experiencing and dealing with suffering'. The patients described limitations in physical activity and changes in social interaction. Suffering was described in different ways and also resulted in coping strategies.

CONCLUSIONS

Living with hard-to-heal leg ulcers affects the patient's everyday life physically and mentally. Knowledge about the complexity of patients' experiences can contribute to better care and increased quality of life in a difficult situation.

O cotidiano de idosos com insuficiência venosa que usam meia elástica de compressão

Objetivo: Compreender o cotidiano de idosos com insuficiência venosa que usam meia elástica de compressão. Métodos: Pesquisa fenomenológica que entrevistou 13 idosos atendidos em Unidades Básicas de Saúde no estado de Minas Gerais, entre novembro de 2017 e janeiro de 2018. Os depoimentos foram organizados em categorias e discutidos segundo o referencial da fenomenologia social de Alfred Schütz e literatura temática. Resultados: Emergiram das entrevistas as categorias que explicitam a perspectiva dos participantes sobre seu dia a dia com a meia elástica de compressão: “alívio dos principais sintomas da insuficiência venosa”, “adversidades que permeiam o uso das meias elásticas de compressão” e “uso de meia elástica de compressão em longo prazo”. Conclusão: Para os idosos com insuficiência venosa crônica, o uso da meia elástica de compressão promove alívio dos sintomas, porém requer ajuda para calçar e descalçar e provoca sensação de calor e desconforto nos membros inferiores. Os idosos esboçaram a expectativa de continuar usando a meia elástica em longo prazo com vistas a controlar a recidiva de úlcera varicosa. Valorizar as adversidades relacionadas ao uso desse dispositivo de compressão poderá auxiliar esses idosos a ampliar sua autonomia e capacidade funcional comprometidas pela insuficiência venosa.

Everyday life of elderly with venous insufficiency, who use elastic compression socks

Objective: To comprehend every day of older people with venous insufficiency, who use elastic compression socks. Methods: Phenomenological research that interviewed 13 elderly attended Basic Health Units in the state of Minas Gerais, between November 2017 to January 2018. The depositions were organized in categories and discussed according to the Alfred Schütz social phenomenology and theme literature. Results: Emerged from the interviews that make explicit the perspective of the participants regarding their everyday activities with compression elastic socks: “main symptoms of the venous insufficiency relieved”, “adversities that permeate the use of elastic compression socks” and “long term use of compression elastic socks”. Conclusion: For elderly people with chronic venous insufficiency, the use of elastic compression socks promotes relieve of the symptoms; however, it demands help to put them on and take them off and provokes heat sensation and discomfort in the limbs. The elderly showed the expectation to continue the long term use of the elastic sock aiming at avoiding the relapse of varicose ulcer. To validate the adversities related to the use of this compression device may help the elderly to broaden their autonomy and functional capacity, which may be compromised by venous insufficiency.