Pain in Chronic Leg- and Foot Ulcers

Leg ulcers are a significant cause of impaired functional ability and quality of life for approximately 1-2 percent of the population in western countries. Although pain seems to be one of the most devastating aspects of living with a chronic ulcer, research is limited and there is a lack of knowledge about wound-related pain characteristics. Little is known about prevalence, pain intensity, qualities, location, temporal fluctuations, to witch degree pain impact on physical- and psychosocial functioning, as well as relieving and exacerbating factors. The overall purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of wound related pain in patients with chronic leg ulcers. More specific research questions are: 1) What is the prevalence and characteristics of wound related pain in patients suffering from various types of persistent ulcers, 2) How do patients with different ulcer diagnoses report the quality of the wound related pain, 3) Is there any differences in wound pain characteristics among patients with different etiology leg ulcers, 4) How is the pain temporal pattern in patients with chronic leg- and foot ulcers, 5) What is the reported quality of life in patients with different ulcer diagnosis, and 6) Is there any association among pain characteristics, sleep and quality of life in patients with chronic leg/foot ulcers? The study has a non-experimental, explorative and descriptive approach. A cross-sectional questionnaire design will be used to explore patient's experience of wound-related pain. The patients will be recruited at the outpatient clinic appointment and home-care nursing in Norway. Participants will fill out self-report questionnaires. The battery of questionnaires will obtain information about demographic data, pain characteristics, quality of life and sleep. Pain characteristics, quality of life and sleep will be assessed by using different questionnaires that has demonstrated high validity and reliability. In addition,