title: Quality of life in patients with diabetic foot ulcer in Visegrad countries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the quality of life of patients with diabetic foot ulcers in the Visegrad countries.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The diabetics with foot ulcers are principally evaluated on the basis of physical parameters, but this does not always reveal much about the patient's experience of life with ulceration.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The standardised generic questionnaire World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF was used. The sample was made up of 525 participants and the calculations were performed using the IBM spss statistical program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The significant negative correlations between demographic data such as age, duration of diabetes mellitus, duration of diabetic ulceration treatment and a lower level of quality of life were found across the sample. The statistically significant differences according to clinical characteristics such as Wagner classification, frequency of foot ulcers, present peripheral vascular disease and pain in terms of quality of life were also revealed. Significant differences of quality of life among Visegrad countries were revealed: Hungary's participants had a worse quality of life than others, while Slovak participants expressed lower satisfaction with their health than Czech.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Socio-demographic factors and clinical characteristics influence the quality of life of patients with diabetic foot ulcer. Significant differences between patients of Visegrad countries were found in all domains of quality of life: physical, psychological, social and environmental.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The quality of life of patients with diabetic foot ulcer reflects the conditions and healthcare system in each of the Visegrad countries. We have to respect socio-demographic factors and clinical characteristics in nursing care. This could have an impact on managing patient care not only with regard to their diabetic foot ulcer but also with regard to the patient as a personality with their own problems in relation to physical, psychosocial and environmental conditions.
authors.affiliation: Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nemcová
authors.affiliation: Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Edita
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hlinková
authors.affiliation: Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Farský
authors.affiliation: Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Katarína
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Žiaková
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Darja
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jarošová
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Renáta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zeleníková
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Radka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bužgová
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Janíková
authors.affiliation: The Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland.
authors.forename: Kazimiera
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zdzieblo
authors.affiliation: The Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland.
authors.forename: Grazyna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wiraszka
authors.affiliation: The Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland.
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stepien
authors.affiliation: The Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland.
authors.forename: Grazyna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nowak-Starz
authors.affiliation: Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Mariann
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Csernus
authors.affiliation: Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Zoltan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Balogh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018153:Czech Republic; D005260:Female; D016523:Foot Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D057566:Self Report; D017524:Slovenia; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Visegrad countries; World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF questionnaire; diabetic foot ulcer; quality of life