Cross Sectional Study Essay

This cross-sectional study was performed to compare quality of life in patients with diabetes mellitus and diabetic foot ulcers. Health related quality of life is used to measure how chronic illnesses interfere with a person’s life because their quality of life is how they perceive it. Medication control and usage, dietary restrictions, and symptoms of diabetes all affect the patient’s quality of life. This study was performed between May and June 2011 in a hospital in Southeastern Anatolia Region. There were 201consented patients that had been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and 102 of those patients had diabetic foot ulcers. The patients were given a questionnaire containing questions related to socio-demographic characteristics, diabetic …show more content…
Both groups also had high BMI levels and reported no alcohol or tobacco use. The patients with diabetic foot ulcers reportedly had the diabetes between 11-15 years, used insulin, and had complications from the disease. The patients without the ulcers reported having the disease for 0-5 years, used oral antidiabetic medication and had no other complications from diabetes. Both groups went for regular examinations and had another chronic disease other than diabetes. Both groups also failed to examine and inspect their feet regularly and had no knowledge of foot care but 28.4% of the ulcer patients and 43.4% of the non-ulcer patients did report to cutting their nails straight. 65.7% of the ulcer patients had foot ulcers from 0-6 months and 37.3% of the patients’ ulcers were at a grade two according to Wagner classification. 51% of the ulcer patients also had amputations mostly in the toes and reported foot ulcers developed suddenly. The results showed that non-ulcer patients that took oral antidiabetic mediation and adhered to their regimen had a higher quality of life than those patients with foot ulcers, patients with diabetic-related complications and those with other chronic