The aim of this study was to identify the state of mental health of individuals affected by chronic wounds. A descriptive qualitative study was carried out from August, 2008 to March, 2009, using interviews for data collection. Six patients with chronic wounds who were treated at a Specialty Clinic of a Public Hospital in Brazil participated in the study. The Content Analysis technique was used to assess the resulting data. The results show a loss of self-esteem, pain, impaired quality of sleep, the inability to work, shame, and embarrassment to relate socially, leading to the propensity for emotional problems. Therefore, one can conclude that patients with chronic wounds show a tendency to develop problems which put their mental health at risk.
Family; Nursing care; Family nursing; Mental health
