PSYCHOLOGICAL STATUS OF DIABETIC PEOPLE WITH OR WITHOUT LOWER-LIMB DISABILITY

The aim of this study was to compare the quality of life between diabe tic people with chronic foot ulceration or lower limb amputation and d iabetic controls. Each participant was interviewed using the Psychosoc ial Adjustment to Illness Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression ( HAD) scale, a specifically designed foot questionnaire and a quality o f life ladder. Thirteen diabetic unilateral lower limb amputees (DA) w ere matched for age and sex with 13 unilateral diabetic patients with chronic foot ulceration (DU). Twenty six age- and sex-matched diabetic people with no history of foot ulceration were the controls (DC). Sig nificantly poorer psychosocial adjustments to illness were found in DU and DA compared to diabetic controls (both P < 0.05). DU were also si gnificantly more depressed than the DC (P < 0.05) using the HAD scale. The quality of life ladder revealed that DU were significantly more d issatisfied with their personal lives than DC (P < 0.05). Finally, the foot questionnaire showed that DU had a significantly more negative a ttitude towards their feet than DC and DA (P < 0.05). This study showe d that the psychological status of mobile amputees was better than tha t of the diabetic foot ulcer patients but not as good as diabetic cont rols.