title: Quality of life profile and correlated factors in chronic leg ulcer patients in the mid-west of São Paulo State, Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic leg ulcer may have an impact on patients' quality of life.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to identify the impact of leg ulcers on patient's quality of life using the Dermatology Life Quality Index and to define the main factors correlated with this perception.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, non-probabilistic sampling study. We included patients with chronic leg ulcers being treated for at least 3 months. A sociodemographic and clinical survey was conducted to assess the profile of the ulcers. We administered a screening for depressive symptoms and the Dermatology Life Quality Index. We performed a descriptive statistical analysis, chi-square test and Mann-Whitney test for categorical data, Pearson for numeric variables, and multiple regression for categorical data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-one patients were assessed. Their mean age was 61.78 years. Venous ulcers (48.8%) were the most prevalent. Seventy-three percent of the sample perceived no impact/low impact on quality of life in the past week, and 26.8% perceived moderate/high impact. A multiple regression analysis identified the causes of lesion, pain related to the ulcers, time of onset, and severity of the depressive symptoms as the variables that had an influence on quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of the sample perceived low or no impact of the condition on the quality of the life. The variables etiology of the lesion (p<0.001), pain related to the ulcers (p=0.001), time of onset (p=0.006), and severity of the depressive symptoms (p<0.001) had an influence on the quality of life, suggesting the need for further studies with more robust designs to confirm the causal relationship between these characteristics and quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Botucatu Medical School, Public Health Program, BauruSP, Brazil, MD, Geriatrician and Internal Medicine - Master's Degree Student, Public Health Program, Botucatu Medical School - Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP) - Bauru (SP), Brazil.
authors.forename: Patrick Alexander
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Wachholz
authors.affiliation: Instituto Lauro de Souza Lima, Medical Residency Program in Dermatology, BauruSP, Brazil, MD, Preceptor, Medical Residency Program in Dermatology, Instituto Lauro de Souza Lima (ILSL) - Bauru (SP), Brazil.
authors.forename: Paula Yoshiko
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto Lauro de Souza Lima, BauruSP, Brazil, Pharmacist, PhD in Pharmacology, Universidade de São Paulo (USP) - Scientific Researcher, Instituto Lauro de Souza Lima, Bauru - SP - Bauru (SP), Brazil.
authors.forename: Dejair Caitano
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Instituto Lauro de Souza Lima, BauruSP, Brazil, Nurse - Technical Coordinator, Outpatient Clinic of Wounds, Instituto Lauro de Souza Lima (ILSL) - Bauru (SP), Brazil.
authors.forename: Cecilia Midori Higashi
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Taira
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho, Instituto Lauro de Souza Lima, Medical Residency Program in Dermatology, BauruSP, Brazil, MD, Master's Degree in Medical Biotechnology, Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho (Unesp) - Preceptor, Medical Residency Program in Dermatology, Instituto Lauro de Souza Lima (ILSL) - Bauru (SP), Brazil.
authors.forename: Norma Gondim
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Cleto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D001938:Brazil; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires