title: Exploring nurses' and patients' feelings of disgust associated with malodorous wounds: a rapid review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify primary empirical research related specifically to feelings of disgust associated with malodorous chronic cutaneous wounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  A rapid review of the literature using the key words disgust; wounds; malodour and psychosocial.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 163 papers were retrieved with seven being included for the final review. Themes emanating from the review were malodour, health-care professionals coping with malodour and disgust. Malodour is a concern to patients, which can sometimes go unreported by nursing staff; although the reasons for this remain unclear. The coping mechanisms developed by nurses in response to 'disgusting' wounds requires further exploration in order for a fuller understanding of these mechanisms to be achieved. This review has identified that both health-care professionals and patients can become distressed at wound odours, yet there is little evidence that is available to guide people as to how to manage these feelings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hard-to-heal or chronic cutaneous wounds, such as leg ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers, are an increasing global health-care issue. While some research has been undertaken to explore the psychological impact of living with a fungating carcinoma; much less has been written about the management and mitigation of feelings of disgust for patients and families living with a malodorous wound or how health-care professionals can effectively provide psychosocial care.
authors: Professor and Director for the Institute of Skin Integrity and Infection Prevention, University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield, UK.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Ousey
authors: Professor in Nurse Education and Clinical Learning, and Head of the research centre for the School of Social and Life Sciences, Glyndwr University. Plas Coch Campus Mold Road Wrexham.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Roberts
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology*; D004644:Emotions; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000523:psychology*; D009812:Odorants; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D014945:Wound Healing
keywords: disgust; malodour; psychosocial; rapid review; wounds