Quality of Life and Health Literacy of people with diabetes and lower limb injuries

• Grant number: 24/04959-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2024
• End date: June 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nursing
• Principal Investigator: Maria Helena de Melo Lima
• Grantee: Nathalia Isabella Gonçalves Romeira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Enfermagem. Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) is one of the most prevalent chronic non-communicable diseases worldwide and is caused by a deficiency in insulin production or insulin resistance, resulting in persistent hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia leads to micro- and macrovascular complications, including injuries to the feet of people with DM. Adherence to treatment is essential for the control and healing of lesions, and health literacy is essential for reducing the incidence and progression of the wound, as well as improving the individual's quality of life. Objective: To assess the quality of life and health literacy of patients with diabetes mellitus and lower limb injuries. Methods: This is an observational, cross-sectional study that will be carried out, after approval by the Research Ethics Committee, in two university hospitals, one located in a city in the interior of São Paulo and the other in a city in the south of Minas Gerais. Data will be collected using a sociodemographic and clinical characterization questionnaire, the Diabetic Foot Ulcer-Short-Form (DFU-SF) and the short version of the Assessment Of Health Literacy (SAHLPA - 18). Lesions on the lower limbs will be assessed based on the Wound, Ischemia, Foot infection (WIFi) classification and the data will be evaluated using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 20.0 statistical program to carry out the statistical analyses. Expected results: The results can inform public policy and guide nurses to improve care, highlighting the importance of a patient-centered approach.