The following is a summary of “Relax to Heal? Perspectives of Patients with Diabetic Foot Ulcers and Health Professionals on Relaxation Sessions for Wound Healing,” published in the June 2023 issue of Critical Care by Ferreira, et al.
For a study, researchers sought to explore the perspectives of patients and healthcare professionals (HPs) regarding the suitability and acceptability of a relaxation intervention, its effects on patients’ well-being and diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) healing, and its integration into the multidisciplinary management of patients with diabetic foot.
The qualitative study was part of a three-arm pilot randomized controlled trial. Patients with chronic DFU received four relaxation sessions, after which interviews were conducted with patients, physicians, and nurses involved in diabetic foot consultations. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic content analysis.
From the patient interviews, five themes emerged related to the suitability and acceptability of the relaxation intervention: perceptions of the psychological intervention, experience of distress, the relaxation technique itself, changes in the patient’s life, and perceived impact on DFU and healing. Three themes emerged from the interviews with HPs: perceptions of relaxation, observed changes in patients, and perceived impact on DFU and healing. Regarding the feasibility of the relaxation intervention, three themes were identified for patients and HPs: suggested modifications, stressors and difficulties encountered, and the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The utility theme emerged only in the interviews with HPs, encompassing subthemes such as patient distress, psychological interventions, relaxation intervention, and the integration of psychologists into the healthcare team.
The findings provided evidence supporting the suitability, acceptability, feasibility, and utility of a relaxation intervention in diabetic foot consultations.
