Feelings of powerlessness and hope for cure in patients with chronic lower-limb ulcers

Objective: To assess feelings of powerlessness and hope for cure in patients with chronic venous leg ulcers (VLUs) and diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). Method: A clinical, analytical, descriptive study was conducted from April to September 2012 in a wound-care clinic in Brazil, on consecutive patients presenting with VLUS and DFUS. The Powerlessness Assessment Tool for Adult Patients (PAT) and the Herth Hope Index (HHI) were used. Total PAT scores range 12–60 and the higher the score, the stronger the feelings of powerlessness. The HHI ranges 12–48, with higher scores indicating higher levels of hope Results: In total, 80 consecutive patients were recruited (40 VLU and 40 DFU). Mean PAT score was 53.3 ± 9.6 (range 21–60) for DFU patients and 34.3 ± 7.7 (range 21–60; p=0.001) for VLU patients, suggesting these individuals had strong feelings of powerlessness. The mean HHI was 16.5 ± 16.5 (range 12–40) for DFU patients and 27.5 ± 27.5 (range 12–40; p=0.001) for patients with VLUs, indicating low levels of hope. Conclusion: The results suggest that patients with DFUs had stronger feelings of powerlessness regarding their condition and less hope of recovery compared with patients with VLUs. Declaration of interest: There were no external sources of funding for this study. SGA and VFC received a scholarship from the Research Support Foundation of the State of Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG). The scholarship provider had no roles in the design and conduct of the study, including collection, management, analysis and interpretation of data, preparation, review, and approval of the article. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.