PERCEIVED STRESS AND PAIN IN PATIENTS WITH HARD-TO-HEAL WOUNDS THROUGHOUT TREATMENT: SECONDARY COHORT STUDY

• Grant number: 24/21155-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2025
• End date: January 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nursing - Medical-Surgical Nursing
• Principal Investigator: Vera Lúcia Conceição de Gouveia Santos
• Grantee: Beatriz Costa Ferreira
• Host Institution: Escola de Enfermagem (EE). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/03570-0 - PERCEIVED STRESS AND PAIN IN PATIENTS WITH HARD-TO-HEAL WOUNDS THROUGHOUT TREATMENT: SECONDARY COHORT STUDY, BE.EP.IC

Abstract

Introduction: Stress is characterized by a state of challenged systemic, physical or psychological homeostasis; failure to restore this balance results in negative effects, called 'stress'. To deal with stressors, individuals come up with coping mechanisms. In the case of people with hard-to-heal wounds, stress is associated with delayed healing, worsening of symptoms such as pain, and worsening quality of life. However, few studies currently deal with associations between stress and healing. Objective: To identify and analyze the association between perceived stress, pain and healing in people with hard-to-heal wounds in Brazil and Canada. Methods: A secondary analysis, observational, cohort, prospective, exploratory and correlational study will be developed, part of two primary studies carried out at the São Paulo wound clinic and the Toronto chronic care hospital, with prior approval from the ethics committees. The following instruments were used for data collection: Sociodemographic and Clinical Data Form, Numeric Rating Scale, Brief Pain Inventory, McGill Pain Questionnaire, Bates Jensen Wound Assessment Tool and Perceived Stress Scale. The data will be analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics using R software (R Core Team 2020). Four analytical approaches will be used to analyze the results of the Perceived Stress Scale: mean score cut-off, percentile categorization, bifactor model, and calculation of the three stress levels (high/medium/low). This study was submitted for analysis and approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the University of São Paulo School of Nursing (Process No. 6.544.353).