The study aims to explore the comprehensive reasons for patients' non-compliance with graded elastic compression stockings (GECS) as the treatment for lower limb varicose veins. Phenomenological analysis was applied in this qualitative study. The patients diagnosed with lower limb varicose veins and undergoing elective surgery who showed non-compliance with GECS as the treatment were invited to have semi-structured, in-depth, face-toface interviews. Colaizzi method was employed to analyze the data for emerging themes associated with the reasons for patients' non-compliance. Four main themes and nine subthemes related to the reasons for non-compliance with GECS for lower limb varicose veins were summarized. The main themes that emerged were (1) gaps in the knowledge of GECS therapy as a treatment for lower limb varicose veins, (2) few recommendations from the doctors and nurses, (3) disadvantages of GECS, and (4) sociopsychological factors. These themes provide data for policy and planning to improve patients' compliance with GECS in China. Patients, healthcare professionals, and policy makers should share the responsibility to improve patients' compliance with GECS therapy.

Background/Objective The recommendation of bed rest for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) patients has changed during the last 20 years, and it has become a concern for researchers. The existing researches on potentially harmful treatment of bed rest for DVT patients focus only on physiological outcomes. This qualitative study explored the implications of bed rest from the perspective of patients with acute DVT. Understanding these implications will provide more evidence on whether bed rest should be used as a medical treatment of acute DVT. Patients and Methods For data collection, a descriptive qualitative design utilizing semi-structured, in-depth, face-to-face interviews with nine patients with acute DVT was conducted. In order to find the themes and subthemes emerging from the interviews for data analysis, the Colaizzi method, which was suggested by phenomenological methodology, was used. Results The four major themes found were physical effects, psychological effects, social effects, and post-trauma growth. These themes illustrated the bed rest experiences of patients and it has a negative impact on the quality of life (QOL) amidst acute DVT. Conclusion Bed rest for patients with acute DVT is a physically, emotionally, and socially distressing phenomenon that simultaneously affects QOL and induces post-traumatic growth. We believe that bed rest is not beneficial to the physical and mental health of patients with acute DVT. This study adds to the available evidence on the harmful effect of bed rest as a treatment from the perspective of patients with acute DVT. Further quantitative studies should compare the quality of life and psychosocial status of patients with and without bed rest amidst acute DVT.

The study aims to explore the comprehensive reasons for patients' non-compliance with graded elastic compression stockings (GECS) as the treatment for lower limb varicose veins. Phenomenological analysis was applied in this qualitative study. The patients diagnosed with lower limb varicose veins and undergoing elective surgery who showed non-compliance with GECS as the treatment were invited to have semi-structured, in-depth, face-toface interviews. Colaizzi method was employed to analyze the data for emerging themes associated with the reasons for patients' non-compliance. Four main themes and nine subthemes related to the reasons for non-compliance with GECS for lower limb varicose veins were summarized. The main themes that emerged were (1) gaps in the knowledge of GECS therapy as a treatment for lower limb varicose veins, (2) few recommendations from the doctors and nurses, (3) disadvantages of GECS, and (4) sociopsychological factors. These themes provide data for policy and planning to improve patients' compliance with GECS in China. Patients, healthcare professionals, and policy makers should share the responsibility to improve patients' compliance with GECS therapy.