Relax to heal? Perspectives of patients with diabetic foot ulcers and health professionals on relaxation sessions for wound healing

• Autor(a) principal: Ferreira, Gabriela
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: Bernardo, Ana Cristina, Carvalho, André, Pereira, M. Graça
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: https://hdl.handle.net/1822/83970
• topic: Acceptability; Diabetic foot ulcer; Feasibility; Healing; Quality of life; Relaxation intervention; Suitability

OBJECTIVE: To explore patients’ and healthcare professionals’ (HPs’) perspectives on the suitability/acceptability of a relaxation intervention, its effects on patients’ well-being and diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) healing, and its incorporation into the multidisciplinary management of patients with diabetic foot. METHODS: This qualitative study was nested within a three-arm pilot randomized controlled trial. Patients with a chronic DFU received four relaxation sessions. Investigators then interviewed patients, physicians, and nurses involved with diabetic foot consultations. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic content analysis. RESULTS: Five themes emerged from patient’s interviews about the suitability/acceptability of the relaxation intervention: perceptions regarding the psychological intervention, distress, the relaxation technique, changes in the patient’s life, and changes in DFU/contribution to healing. Three themes emerged from interviews with HPs: perceptions regarding relaxation, changes in the patient, and changes in DFU/healing. Regarding the feasibility of the relaxation intervention, three themes emerged for both patients and HPs: suggested modifications, stressors/difficulties, and impact of COVID-19 pandemic. The utility theme emerged only in HP interviews, with subthemes of patients’ distress, psychological interventions, relaxation intervention, and integration of the psychologist in the team. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide evidence for the suitability/acceptability, feasibility, and utility of a relaxation intervention in diabetic foot consultations.