OBJECTIVES: to compare the quality of life of patients with chronic venous disease with and without ulcer and to identify the most affected aspects. METHOD: cross-sectional study with a sample of 204 patients with chronic venous disease. The quality of life was assessed with the help of the SF-36 questionnaire. To compare the scores between the groups, the Mann-Whitney test was used, considering a statistically significant difference when p<0.05. RESULTS: the quality of life score of patients with ulcer was lower when compared to that of patients without ulcer, in all domains and dimensions of the SF-36, particularly in the domains physical aspect and functional capacity, with very low scores. CONCLUSION: all aspects of quality of life were more compromised in people with ulcers. These findings can contribute towards a better understanding of the effects of chronic venous disease on the quality of life and towards a better orientation of therapeutic interventions in this population.

Aim: To investigate the content validity of the Assistance Protocol for people with venous ulcers in primary care. Method: Methodological study, conducted from September to November 2012. A set of items to consider in multidisciplinary care protocol was produced. This proposal was submitted to content validation by judges selected from the Lattes Platform. With a list of items grouped into categories, 51 judges opined in relation to whether or not to keep them in the protocol. For the analysis, we adopted the Kappa index (K) and the Content Validity Index (CVI), with the cutoff point values > 0.80. Results: Nurses and doctors participated as judges. After removing items with K or CVI values lower than those previously set, the scores of categories achieved optimal values. Conclusion: The content of the protocol was validated, representing the initial consensus-based approach for people with venous ulcers in primary care.

Objective: to characterize assistance of 88 elderly with venous ulcers attended in the tertiary and primary levels of health service in Natal city. Methods: integrative and descriptive study, from quantitative approach, with retrospective data of patients with venous ulcers who were studied in two dissertations presented at the Post-Graduate Program in Nursing/UFRN and a search report of CNPQ. Data was carried out from 2005 to 2007 through structured interview, physical examination and observation of the exchange of dressing, being organized in Excel and transported to the SPSS 14.0. These studies were approved by the Committees of Ethics in Research of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (55/05; 54/05; 196/06). Results: we studied 88 elderly, mainly female sex (68,2%), literate (81,8%), outcomes two basic salary (69,3%), (52,3%) with edema (69,3%) and pain (86,4%). The main mismatches in assistance were: dressing kit (71,6%), angiologist consultation (60,2%) and monitoring specialist (56.8%). Conclusion: the assistance was considered inappropriate, mainly in the tertiary level, fragmented, with low resolution level and integration between the levels of complexity of the Public Health System. Descriptors:  venous ulcerations; elderly people; health assistance.

Aims:  to  confirm  and  refine  the  multidisciplinary  care  protocolstructure   for   people   with   venous   ulcers   treated   in   primary   care.   Method:   a methodological,  quantitative  study,  carried  out  in  three  steps:  development  of  the instrument from the literature review; and validation of the content, through the Delphi technique  in  two  stages:  one  with  51  judges  and  one  with  35.  The  analysis  used  the K appa index ≥0,81 and C ontent V alidity I ndex (C V I )> 0.80, and the W ilcoxon  test  for comparison  between  the  two  validation  steps.  Results:  it  was  found  that,  from  the  15 categories of the protocol, 12 had better scores in phase Delphi 2. For the assessment requirements of the protocol, it was found that the points awarded by the judges in the second  phase  were  higher  in  nine  of  the  10  items,  confirming  the  validity  of  the instrument. Conclusion: the elaborate and validated version by a professional consists of an approach script for patients with venous ulcer in primary care