Assessing the impact of venous ulceration on quality of life.

BACKGROUND

There can be difficulties in measuring how quality of life is affected by having a leg ulcer.

AIM

To assess the impact of venous ulceration on quality of life and to pilot a draft questionnaire for patients with venous ulcers.

METHOD

Questions on the impact of venous ulceration were identified through a literature review, semi-structured interviews and focus groups. A self-completed postal questionnaire containing 16 disease-specific items, EuroQol, SF-6 and life-satisfaction questions was sent to 266 people with a history of venous ulceration.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A response rate of 61% (n = 152) was obtained. The most frequent symptoms reported were pain (80%), exudate (75%), and depression (65%). The presence of an ulcer resulted in statistically significant lower quality-of-life and life-satisfaction scores.

CONCLUSION

Patients with venous ulcers experience reduced quality of life. Those with a healed ulcer also have a poorer quality of life compared with the general population.