Psychosocial Aspects in Patients With Chronic Leg Ulcers

Chronic leg ulcers persist for > 6 weeks and show no tendency to heal after 3 or more months. They can be distressing to patients, both directly through physical symptoms caused by the disease and indirectly through limitations on work capacity, social activity, and personal hygiene. The quality of life (QoL) of patients with leg ulcers can be impaired by a complex set of aspects. Restrictions in their ability to perform paid employment, handle household duties, and engage in personal hygiene adversely affect patients' QoL. Patients with chronic leg ulcers frequently experience negative emotions such as shame, embarrassment, and loneliness, and they present higher levels of depression and anxiety compared with healthy individuals. When the expected healing results do not occur, these patients feel as if they have no control over their condition; this ongoing frustration leads them to feel depressed. The ulcers contribute to anxiety and psychological stress, creating a vicious, difficult-to-manage circle. This review aims to describe the negative psychosocial impacts on patients with chronic leg ulcers and emphasize their impaired QoL.