Multifaceted needs of individuals living with peripheral arterial disease: A qualitative study

Abstract

Objectives To ascertain a comprehensive perspective of the impact of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) on people including needs for access to disease specific information, education, services, and support. Methods Participants were recruited from outpatient clinics at a tertiary hospital in metropolitan Australia. Telephone and face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine individuals living with PAD and analysed using qualitative content thematic analysis. Results The nine participants were on average 74.2 (SD 10.9) years and predominantly women (67%). Lack of understanding of PAD and inconsistent information resulted in confusion regarding self-management strategies. Effects of pain and mobility problems were amplified for participants who lived alone and did not have an informal carer. Discussion Poor quality of life in PAD reflects pain, social isolation and fear of falls. Multidisciplinary teams with case managers should consider older people’s living situations and needs for additional support services and education to facilitate integrated care.

Timed Up and Go test score and factors associated with a moderate-to-high risk of future falls in patients scheduled for vascular surgeries—a cross-sectional study

“…The analysis covered patients with PAD, AAA, and CAD. This is a group of diseases with a common origin connected with the development of atherosclerosis ( 1 – 3 ). The results of this study revealed that age, female gender, hypertension, and the Barthel Index were factors determining the moderate-to-high risk of falls in patients scheduled for vascular surgeries.…”

“…Many researchers point to age as a key fall risk factor ( 9 – 11 , 25 ). Epidemiological studies indicate that the risk of the development of PAD, AAA, and CAD increases together with age ( 1 – 3 ). In our study, the median age in the group with a moderate-to-high risk of falls is substantially higher than in the group with a low risk of falls (71 vs. 68 years of age), which indicates that this is a group of older adult people, and chronic diseases and organ-related changes resulting from aging increase the risk of falls.…”

“…As the disease develops, changes taking place in the human organism can initially contribute to a slight reduction in functional capacities, which can subsequently result in complete dependence on carers. Limitations in functional capacities also increase the risk of falls ( 3 , 4 ). As defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), a fall is defined as an event, which results in a person coming to rest inadvertently on the ground or floor or other lower level usually as a result of the simultaneous occurrence of many unfavorable factors.…”

Factors associated with self‐management after hybrid revascularization in patients with peripheral artery disease: A structural equations model

“…Similarly, our finding was in line with a prior study that found that autonomy support from healthcare providers was significantly associated with autonomous motivation for effective diabetes self‐management among Australian patients (Koponen et al, 2017). DiGiacomo et al (2021) emphasized the significance of multidisciplinary teams' support to facilitate integrated care because patients with PAD had conflicting information and a lack of understanding of PAD due to confusion regarding self‐management strategies. A recent study in the US also showed that less social support was associated with incident PAD concerning the risk of hospitalization (Honda et al, 2021).…”

“…Despite the advantages of optimal self‐management, it is often neglected by PAD patients (Abaraogu et al, 2018; Czarnecka et al, 2021). Specifically, patients who underwent revascularization are less likely to participate in self‐management because a successful procedure can dramatically relieve symptoms such as intermittent claudication and resting pain (DiGiacomo et al, 2021; Saxon et al, 2020). Therefore, healthcare providers should consider factors associated with self‐management after revascularization for PAD patients to provide high‐quality care and help patients actively engage in self‐care behaviours.…”