Psychosocial Aspects of Chronic Lower Leg Ulceration in the Elderly

• Published in: Western journal of nursing research 1994-04, Vol.16 (2), p.183-192
• Main Authors: Flett, Ross, Harcourt, Brian, Alpass, Fiona
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Affect; Attitude to Health; Case-Control Studies; Chronic Disease; Chronic illnesses; Chronic pain; Female; Health problems; Health Status; Humans; Leg Ulcer - nursing; Leg Ulcer - physiopathology; Leg Ulcer - psychology; Leg ulcers; Life satisfaction; Male; Matched-Pair Analysis; Medical personnel; Middle Aged; Mobility; Negative emotions; Nursing; Older people; Personal Satisfaction; Physical symptoms; Psychological well being; Psychosocial factors; Quality of Life; Self Concept; Self esteem; Social Support; Surveys and Questionnaires; Ulcers; Well being
• ISSN: 0193-9459; 1552-8456
• DOI: 10.1177/019394599401600205

The perceived health of a group of elderly people with chronic lower leg ulceration was compared with health perceptions of a matched group of controls. The perceived psychological well-being, self-esteem, life satisfaction, and social supports of the two groups were also compared. The people with leg ulceration described significantly more problems with activity and mobility, pain, and health worries and concerns than the control group. The groups did not differ significantly in their general evaluations of their health status, the experience of physical symptoms, or the numbers of diagnosed medical problems present. The leg ulcer group reported significantly lower levels of self-esteem and higher levels of negative affect, but the groups did not differ significantly on the other psychological variables. Leg ulcers are a serious problem for those affected by them, and health care providers need to be more informed about the effect of chronic health problems on elderly persons.