An assessment of expectations of patients with stasis ulcers of lower extremities, remaining underthe care of family physicians, according to their family members and/or caretakers and the realization of treatment goals
Journal Title: Dermatologia Kliniczna - Year 2009, Vol 11, Issue 2
Abstract
Introduction: Stasis ulcers of lower extremities represent a serious health problem in a daily practice of family physicians. In order to get a better understanding of the needs of patients' with stasis ulcers of lower extremities, we designed a study focusing on recognition of the expectations of this patients' population, according to their family members and/or caretakers perceptions. Simultaneously, this design allowed us to prepare a management strategy that was directed towards building mutual relationships and improving therapeutic effectiveness. The aim of study: To assess the recognition of expectations of patients with stasis ulcers of lower extremities, according to their family members and/or caretakers, particularly in the areas of daily homeactivities, psychological support, financial help,and practical access to health care facilities, according to gender,age, and treatment course. To compare the expectations of these patients with opinions of their caretakers, with regard to the realization of treatment goals in the studied population. To evaluate the relation between the level of fulfillment of expectations of patients with stasis ulcers of lower extremities and their treatment results. Material and methods: The study subjects were recruited from 4 Family Physician Practices. A total number of 59 patients with acutely symptomatic stasis ulcers of lower extremities, including 44 (74.6%) women and 15 (25.4%) men, were included into the study. A mean age of the study participants was 63.7 (27-82) years. In this study, the proprietary questionnaire forms, addressing two groups of respondents: the patients and their family members and/or caretakers were used. Results: According to the patients, the majority of expectations related to family members and/or caretakers concerned help with getting to medical consultations 43 (72.9%), relief in daily duties 39 (66.1%), support during illness 31 (52.5%), and devoting more time to the suffering patients 29 (49.2%). Opinions voiced by the family members and caretakers were in general concordant with the perceptions of patients, remaining under their care. This study has revealed a statistically significant differentiation of needs perceived by women versus men. The women were expecting that the family members and/or caretakers would relieve them of their daily duties, more significantly than the men. Fulfillment of all the expectations by family members and/or caretakers was reported by 49 (83.1%) of the questioned study patients. Conclusions: 1. Knowledge of patients' expectations as well as support from family and physician represent important elements that can positively affect the treatment course of stasis ulcers of lower extremities. 2. Family members and/or caretakers of patients with stasis ulcers of lower extremities have their sense of expectations that is in general concordant with the perceptions of patients remaining under their care. 3. Patients with stasis ulcers of lower extremities, whose wounds were healed during the observation period, displayed a significantly higher level of the fulfillment of expectations by their caretakers.
Authors and Affiliations
Witold Drzastwa, Elżbieta Misgała, Hanna Matuszewska-Zbrońska, Ewa Bujak-Rosenbeiger, Adam Tomczyk, Krystian Adamik
Keywords
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