A cicatrização como determinante da qualidade de vida em indivíduos com úlceras venosas de perna: um estudo clínico quase experimental

Abstract

Venous ulcers represent around 90% of all leg ulcers worldwide. This condition severely alters the quality of life of affected individuals due to its recurrence and chronicity characteristics. Health care providers play an important role in encouraging and adopting necessary measures to guide the improvement of their patients' QoL. The present study aims to verify the influence of wound healing on the quality of life of people with hard-to-heal venous ulcers, assisted in the health care network in the city of Parnamirim in Rio Grande do Norte. This is a longitudinal, comparative study, with a quantitative approach and descriptive data analysis. Data collection was carried out through the application of the SF36 and CCVUQ instruments, in addition to clinical evaluation. Analysis and comparison of the characteristics of the injury and quality of life were carried out at two different moments, between the months of August 2020 and November 2021. 103 patients participated in the research, the majority of whom were female (72.8%), over 60 years old (66.0%), with income of up to one minimum wage (82.5%), not economically active (79.6%), with education up to elementary school (79.6%). Of these, 41.7% of patients progressed to complete healing after one year. The aspects of Health-Related Quality of Life that most improved wound healing were the physical and functional aspects, followed by social interaction. In both QoL assessment instruments, the results of this research showed that there was no significant difference between the scores related to the emotional state between the first and second moments, even among those who achieved complete cure. Therefore, this study reveals not only the impact of the biological dimension of the being on their perception of quality of life, but the importance of thinking about strategies aimed at improving emotional aspects.