title: Does the diabetic foot have a significant impact on selected psychological or social characteristics of patients with diabetes mellitus?
abstract: The aim of our case-control study was to compare selected psychological and social characteristics between diabetic patients with and without the DF (controls).
  
  
  METHODS
  104 patients with and 48 without DF were included into our study. Both study groups were compared in terms of selected psychosocial characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to controls, patients with DF had a significantly worse quality of life in the area of health and standard of living as shown by lower physical health domain (12.7 ± 2.8 versus 14.7 ± 2.5; P < 0.001) and environment domain (14.1 ± 2.2 versus 15 ± 1.8; P < 0.01) that negatively correlated with diabetes duration (r = -0.061; P = 0.003). Patients with DF subjectively felt more depressed in contrast to controls (24.5 versus 7.3%; P < 0.05); however, the depressive tuning was objectively proven in higher percentage in both study groups (83.2 versus 89.6; NS). We observed a significantly lower level of achieved education (P < 0.01), more patients with disability pensions (P < 0.01), and low self-support (P < 0.001) in patients with the DF compared to controls. In the subgroup of patients with a previous major amputation and DF (n = 6), there were significantly worse outcomes as in the environment domain (P < 0.01), employment status, and stress readaptation (P < 0.01) in contrast to the main study groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with DF had a predominantly worse standard of living. In contrast to our expectations, patients with DF appeared to have good stress tolerability and mental health (with the exception of patients with previous major amputation) and did not reveal severe forms of depression or any associated consequences.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Center, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Vídeňská 1958, 140 21 Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Vladimíra
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fejfarová
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Center, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Vídeňská 1958, 140 21 Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jirkovská
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work, Faculty of Arts, Charles University, 116 42 Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dragomirecká
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Unit, Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Derby DU22 3NE, UK.
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Game
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Center, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Vídeňská 1958, 140 21 Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bém
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Center, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Vídeňská 1958, 140 21 Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dubský
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Center, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Vídeňská 1958, 140 21 Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wosková
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Center, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Vídeňská 1958, 140 21 Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Křížová
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Center, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Vídeňská 1958, 140 21 Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Skibová
authors.affiliation: Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research, Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Chicago, IL 60064, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017281:Cost of Illness; D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications* / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000191:economics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009443:Neuritis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation