Coping Strategies Used by Patients with Chronic and/or Complex Wounds
Vermeiden, J.; Doorn, L.P.V.; Da Costa, A.; Kaptein, A.A.; Steenvoorde, P.
Wounds a Compendium of Clinical Research and Practice 21(12): 324-328
2009
ISSN/ISBN: 1044-7946 PMID: 25902921 Document Number: 632856
Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate coping strategies used by patients with chronic and/or complex wounds treated in an outpatient wound clinic. Coping strategies were assessed using the Utrecht Coping List (UCL). The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used to assess the patient's cognitive functioning. Fifty patients were selected for this study. The wound etiologies studied were: diabetic foot ulcers, lower extremity ulcers, surgical wounds, trauma wounds, and pressure ulcers. Scores on the coping measure for men and women differed significantly from the control groups. It was also found that each wound etiology showed a preference toward different coping strategies. Furthermore, 28% of the studied group had a lowered score on the MMSE, indicating possible cognitive impairments. There might be an association between wound etiology and the coping strategy that is preferred; this knowledge could be used to guide treatment strategies used by clinicians. Further research could focus on the effects of coping strategies on wound healing rates .