Health-related quality of life in patients with venous leg ulcer treated in primary care in Brazil and Portugal

Background Venous ulcers constitute an important public health problem as they can cause disability with consequences for multiple dimensions of quality of life. Objective To describe the quality of life in patients with venous leg ulcer treated in primary care in two cities from Brazil and Portugal. Methods This was a cross-sectional comparative study with a non-probabilistic sample of 171 patients with venous leg ulcers who were treated in primary care in two cities from Brazil and Portugal, namely, Natal and Évora. A form covering sociodemographic and health data and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey were used, and descriptive and inferential analyses were performed. Results Significant differences in age and income were observed between the two samples. Patients with venous leg ulcer from Brazil had lower income and were younger than those from Portugal. Quality of life scores were significantly higher in Portugal for the physical aspects, pain, and social functioning, among domains, and for the physical health dimension and total score of QOL. Conclusion The quality of life was better in Portugal than in Brazil and the differences between the countries need further investigation

O cotidiano do homem que convive com a úlcera venosa crônica: estudo fenomenológico

A úlcera venosa crônica constitui o maior problema terapêutico das lesões de membros inferiores, podendodesencadear mudanças na vida diária da pessoa por ela acometida. Objetivou-se compreender o cotidiano do homemque convive com a úlcera venosa crônica. Estudo fenomenológico realizado com oito homens, entrevistados emjunho e julho de 2012. As categorias identificadas, “Restrições na vida social” e “Recuperar a integridade da pele eretomar as atividades afetadas pela ferida”, revelam que a convivência do homem com a ferida produz repercussõesno âmbito produtivo e na sexualidade. Isso o leva a restrições na vida cotidiana, com prejuízo no desempenho depapéis socialmente estabelecidos para o gênero masculino, o que desperta no homem a ansiedade pela retomada dasatividades prejudicadas. Os achados sinalizam aspectos vivenciais relevantes que podem orientar os profissionaisno planejamento e execução de ações de saúde voltadas para essa clientela