Does the Diabetic Foot Have a Significant Impact on Selected Psychological or Social Characteristics of Patients with Diabetes Mellitus?

Abstract

The aim of our case-control study was to compare selected psychological and social characteristics between diabetic patients with and without the DF (controls). Methods. 104 patients with and 48 without DF were included into our study. Both study groups were compared in terms of selected psychosocial characteristics. Results. Compared to controls, patients with DF had a significantly worse quality of life in the area of health and standard of living as shown by lower physical health domain (12.7 ± 2.8 versus 14.7 ± 2.5; P < 0.001) and environment domain (14.1 ± 2.2 versus 15 ± 1.8; P < 0.01) that negatively correlated with diabetes duration (r = −0.061; P = 0.003). Patients with DF subjectively felt more depressed in contrast to controls (24.5 versus 7.3%; P < 0.05); however, the depressive tuning was objectively proven in higher percentage in both study groups (83.2 versus 89.6; NS). We observed a significantly lower level of achieved education (P < 0.01), more patients with disability pensions (P < 0.01), and low self-support (P < 0.001) in patients with the DF compared to controls. In the subgroup of patients with a previous major amputation and DF (n = 6), there were significantly worse outcomes as in the environment domain (P < 0.01), employment status, and stress readaptation (P < 0.01) in contrast to the main study groups. Conclusions. Patients with DF had a predominantly worse standard of living. In contrast to our expectations, patients with DF appeared to have good stress tolerability and mental health (with the exception of patients with previous major amputation) and did not reveal severe forms of depression or any associated consequences.

Validity and reliability of the Greek version of the Diabetic Foot Ulcer Scale - Short Form (DFS-SF)

“…42 However, it is usually the combined effect of macrovascular and microvascular complications, comorbid conditions, and background demographic, clinical and treatment satisfaction variables which degrade HRQoL and not diabetes per se. 43 The results of the known-groups comparisons performed here conform to the literature 1,[12][13][14][15]17,[27][28][38][39][40][41] in terms of the score differences and the direction of these differences.…”

“…12 Lack of disabled access and facilities may impede social activity and patients may feel guilty about imposing on the lives of friends or family. 13 More depression and poorer psychosocial adjustment by DM patients with DFU compared to those without has been shown in early 14 and recent 15 studies. In general, adverse psychological effects associated with DFU include a sense of loss of self, social isolation, 16 loss of self-esteem, fear, anger, helplessness, and depression.…”

Current Challenges and Opportunities in the Prevention and Management of Diabetic Foot Ulcers

“…One group has reported that first ulcers are associated with depression and that this is independently associated with mortality at 5 years (52). Others, however, have reported that both quality of life and depressive symptoms are reversed by healingdeither with or without amputation (53)(54)(55). Wukich et al (56) have recently reported that people with diabetic foot disease fear major amputation more than they fear death.…”

Translation and validation of the Korean version of the Diabetic Foot Ulcer Scale‐Short Form

“…Many studies suggest that diabetic foot greatly affects patients' physical health . Several studies reported that diabetic foot has a negative effect on patients' daily, social, leisure, and family lives . In addition, another study showed that it not only affects physical health but also has psychological and emotional effects .…”