Avtor/Urednik		Žulec, Mirna; Rotar-Pavlič, Danica; Puharić, Zrinka; Žulec, Ana
Naslov		"Wounds home alone" - why and how venous leg ulcer patients self-treat their ulcer
Tip		članek
Vol. in št.		Letnik 16, št. 4
Leto izdaje		2019
Obseg		str. 1-15
ISSN		1660-4601 - International journal of environmental research and public health
Jezik		eng
Abstrakt		Background: Venous leg ulcers (VLUs), the most common type of leg ulcerations, havelong healing times and high recurrence rates; reimbursement rules and a general shortage of nursingstaff have put self-treatment into focus. The study aimed to investigate why and how patientswith VLUs self-treat their ulcers. Methods: Patients with VLUs (N= 32) were selected by criterionsampling for a multicentric qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. The interviews wereanalyzed via inductive qualitative content analysis. Results: More than two-thirds of participantssometimes self-treated VLU and one quarter changed their prescribed treatment. Experiences wereexpressed through four themes as follows: (a) current local VLU therapy; (b) VLU self-treatment;(c) patient education; and (d) psychosocial issues. The main reasons for self-treatment were a lack ofhealthcare resources, reimbursement restrictions, and dissatisfaction with conventional treatmenttogether with insufficient knowledge about the wound-healing process and possible side effects. Noeducational materials were provided for patients or caregivers. Many patients adopted homemaderemedies. Conclusion: Patients with VLUs practice self-care due to limited healthcare availability, alow awareness of the causes of their condition, and the effects of therapy on VLU healing. Futureeducational intervention is needed to enhance self-treatment.
Proste vsebinske oznake		kronična rana venski ulkus nog samozdravljenje chronic wound venous leg ulcer self-treatments