January, 2005

Dear Readers,

This first WOUNDS issue for 2005 also marks the first special section on Psychosocial Aspects in Wound Care. Our section editor, Dr. Patricia Price, has assembled 3 very interesting articles dealing with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) issues facing patients with pressure ulcers, malignant fungating ulcers, and diabetic foot ulcers. The topics presented are quite different from most of the articles we have published in the journal. I find them of great interest and of special educational value for those of us who regularly deal with quantifying wound repair in human or animal model systems or measuring the effects of new wound treatments in clinical settings. In this series, Dr. Price shows the importance of focusing on individual patient QoL issues to develop treatment programs that will encourage compliance and help the patient overcome or deal with the negative impact of a chronic wound on activities of daily living.

The articles by Langemo (Quality of life and pressure ulcers: what is the impact?), Grocott et al. (Quality of life: assessing the impact and benefits of care to patients with fungating wounds), and Searle et al. (A qualitative approach to understanding the experience of ulceration and healing in the diabetic foot: patient and podiatrist perspectives) show the need to recognize how different situations can impact QoL in very different ways and require the caregiver to provide an individualized approach to maximize benefits of treatment.

I thank Dr. Price for her efforts in highlighting some psychosocial aspects in wound care in her section and believe that one of her goals has certainly been achieved—we will now “…think about quality of life from different perspectives.” I look forward to seeing more research articles in WOUNDS on this topic.

David T. Rovee, PhD
Editor, WOUNDS