Factors Influencing Health-Related Quality of Life among Adults with Diabetic Foot Ulcers in Wenzhou, China
Keywords:
Diabetic foot ulcers, Health-related quality of life, Depression, Self-efficacy, Social supportAbstract
Background: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a serious complication of diabetes that can substantially impair physical functioning, psychological well-being, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Objective: To identify predictors of HRQoL among adults with DFUs in Wenzhou, China. Methods: A predictive correlational cross-sectional study was conducted among 118 hospitalized adults with DFUs at the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University between February and December 2025. Data were collected using validated Chinese-language questionnaires, including a demographic questionnaire, the Diabetic Foot Ulcer Scale–Short Form (DFS-SF), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), the Chinese Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale (C-DMSES), and the Diabetic Foot Self-Care Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression analysis. Results: The mean DFS-SF score was 65.66 (SD = 20.88), with higher scores indicating poorer HRQoL. The final multiple regression model explained 40.3% of the variance in HRQoL (R2 = .403, p < 0.001). Depression was the only statistically significant independent predictor of HRQoL (β = 0.606, p < 0.001). Conclusions: HRQoL was impaired among hospitalized adults with DFUs, and depressive symptoms were the only statistically significant independent predictor of poorer HRQoL. Routine depression screening and psychological support should be considered as components of comprehensive DFU care.
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