Identifying strategies to support patients diagnosed with diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) is essential to affect not only wound outcomes but also mortality and quality of life. This article reports on a cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational study of patients receiving treatment for DFU at a specialty clinic. Most participants were <60 years of age and had been diagnosed with diabetes for >5 years. Results indicated that patients with higher self-management scores reported improved general health, physical functioning, and quality of life. These findings, is a younger patient population with normal work and family obligations, suggest that interventions supporting self-management behaviors can improve physical, emotional, and general health and, ultimately, quality of life. The involvement of an interprofessional care team enhances these self-management behaviors.

This content is only available via PDF.
Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered. More information is available at https://www.diabetesjournals.org/journals/pages/license.
You do not currently have access to this content.