Experience of adults and older people with adherence to venous ulcer care

Abstract

Objective: To understand the experience of adults and older people with adherence to venous ulcer care. Method: A qualitative study based on the concepts of Alfred Schütz’s social phenomenology was carried out with 12 adults and older people undergoing venous ulcer treatment in a specialized service in the state of Minas Gerais. The interviews were carried out from October to November 2015, analyzed, categorized, and discussed based on the theoretical-philosophical framework adopted and on thematic literature. Results: The following thematic categories emerged from the interviews: “beliefs and personal and social activities hindering adherence to care”; “being protagonists in the care relationship with venous ulcers”, and “motivation for adherence to care”. Conclusions: The intersubjective relationship established between patients with venous ulcers and healthcare professionals emerged as a driving force for adherence to care. Promoting the reciprocity relationship of perspectives between these social actors may promote greater adherence to venous ulcer care.