Disease-related Knowledge, Stress, and Quality of Life in Patients with Varicose Veins

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the disease-related knowledge, stress and quality of life for the patients with varicose veins. METHODS: Data were collected via questionnaire from 138 patients with varicose veins in C University Hospital in Korea from November in Korea 2012 to August 2013. RESULTS: Knowledge of the symptoms and diagnosis was the lowest. The scores from patients with disease-related knowledge tended to be low for both subjects over the age of 60 and subjects with low education (less than high school). The score for stress over complications was the highest. The level of stress is higher for women, subjects without spouses, subjects with higher severity of disease and patients who had been taking hormones in the past or are still taking hormones. The disease-related quality of life tended to be lower for women and subjects without spouses. 21% of the variance in quality of life was explained by the level of disease-related stress, disease severity and knowledge. CONCLUSION: Education and the management of nurses to improve disease-related knowledge for patients with varicose veins is highly recommended. Intervention, by reducing stress, is necessary to improve the quality of life for women, subjects without spouses, and subjects with higher severity of the disease.