LEG AND FOOT ULCER PATIENTS - EPIDEMIOLOGY AND NURSING-CARE IN AN URBAN-POPULATION IN SOUTH STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

Objective - To study the prevalence, demography, perceived aetiology, level of care, treatment and nursing care of patients treated for leg and foot ulcers.Design - Prospective survey of leg and foot ulcer pati ents, using a structured questionnaire consisting of 20 questions dire cted at nurses and doctors in 193 units, including both primary health care and hospital. Setting - South Stockholm Medical Area, Stockholm, Sweden. Patients - Two hundred and ninety-four patients with leg and foot ulcers were identified during the six-week study period. Main out come measures - Demographic data of population, prevalence of leg and foot ulcers, level of care, economic aspects, treatment of ulcers, lev el of compression, characteristics of the ulcers, pain and analgesics. Results - With a population of 241 804 in the area, the prevalence of leg and foot ulcer was 0.12%. The majority of patients (92%) were old er than 65 years of age, median age 79.2 years. The commonest cause of leg ulceration, as estimated by the staff, was venous insufficiency ( 42%). The majority of patients were treated within the primary health care system, and only a minority were treated in hospital. Many differ ent local wound dressings were used (n=51). The majority of dressing c hanges mere performed by auxiliary nurses (54%). Compression was pract ised in 86% of all cases diagnosed as venous ulcers. Pain was reported by staff in 47% of all patients with venous ulcers. No pain relief wa s given to 29% of all these cases.