ABSTRACT
Objective:
to understand the social representations about the experiences of people with diabetic foot.
Method:
a qualitative study, based on the Theory of Social Representations, carried out with 28 participants, in reference services for the treatment of diabetic foot in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil, from February to May 2019. Data collection took place through semi-structured interviews, a script to characterize the sociodemographic and clinical profile and a field diary. Content analysis was applied with the support of a qualitative data analysis software for categorization.
Results:
the results made it possible to identify two categories: experiencing diabetic foot, with the respective subcategories, and social responses to diabetic foot. The first category includes the following subcategories: cognitive aspects, psycho-affective aspects, social aspects and morality. The social representations of diabetic foot were based on a painful daily experience, with reference to functional loss, dependence on others and difficulty performing activities that were previously usual.
Conclusion:
the study made it possible to assert that diabetic foot is an object of social representation, showing how people build, connect and apply knowledge. The research constitutes a support tool for the care of people with diabetic foot, as it assists in the planning of interventions with impacts on the development of representations that generate positive health behaviors, from the perspective of foot self-monitoring.
DESCRIPTORS:
Diabetic foot; Diabetes mellitus; Nursing care; Nursing; Social psychology