Daily life after healing of a venous leg ulcer: A lifeworld phenomenological study

Venous leg ulcer is a recognized condition, affecting people globally. Ulcers mainly affect the elderly and recurrences are not uncommon. There is knowledge about life with venous leg ulcers, but the situation after healing is unexplored. This paper explores and describes meanings of experiences of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being 2022-12, Vol.17 (1), p.2054080-2054080
Main Authors: Rosenburg, Marcus, Fagerström, Cecilia, Tuvesson, Hanna, Lindqvist, Gunilla
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Activities of daily living
Aged
Aging
Caring Science
Empirical Studies
Healing
Humans
Leg Ulcer
Leg ulcers
Life change events
Life control
life experiences
Memories
Older people
Qualitative research
Recovery (Medical)
Ulcers
Varicose Ulcer
Vårdvetenskap
Wound Healing
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Summary:Venous leg ulcer is a recognized condition, affecting people globally. Ulcers mainly affect the elderly and recurrences are not uncommon. There is knowledge about life with venous leg ulcers, but the situation after healing is unexplored. This paper explores and describes meanings of experiences of daily life after healing of a hard-to-heal venous leg ulcer. Lived experiences of 15 individuals with healed hard-to-heal venous leg ulcers generated data for this study. Interviews were recorded for analysis using a reflective lifeworld research approach. An essence emerged, further described by its constituents. Memories of a difficult time with leg ulcer were ever present, in a way becoming part of the self. A striving for control in daily life entailed a struggle to do what was best for the own body. After healing, a new normal emerged in daily life, a reality that encompassed the risk for a new ulcer. The body had changed physically, with marks alongside those from ageing, in a life that still went on. For those who had healed from a venous leg ulcer, life had changed. Even if they referred to life as normal, it was not the same normal as before.
ISSN:1748-2631
1748-2623
1748-2631
DOI:10.1080/17482631.2022.2054080