Introduction
Diabetes is one of the most widespread chronic diseases, which are known in the world. Apart from being a critical health problem, it affects various aspects of the lives of people who are diagnosed with it. Therefore, the disease in question might change the lifestyle due to its complications and consequences. The article “Determinants of Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” is devoted to the issue of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) which patients happen to have as a result of the illness, as well as the impact which this problem tends to produce on Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL).
Summary
The article states that a positive result in the treatment of DFUs takes much time. Besides, it can be achieved in case the patient is prevented from performing some day-to-day actions. Therefore, DFUs prove to be a serious problem, which hurts HRQoL, with certain limitations on the patient’s lifestyle. Thus, it is necessary to know what entrains DFUs to work out the required means of their prevention. It is important to enabling doctors to arrive at the right conclusions and single outpatients who are prone to DFU. The paper under consideration has the purpose of revealing the causes for DFUs to appear. To achieve this purpose, various research papers have been overviewed and analyzed based on the purpose which the present paper has had. There have been considered 33 papers. Eight of them are accepted to have suited the criteria and assisted in defining the causes of DFUs: “eight studies were included in the review, five of analytical, retrospective, case-control research design and three of cross-sectional” (Corriosis & Karousi, 2016, p. 2). As a result, it has been revealed that treating without involving medicines and having no family produces a positive effect on HRQoL. As for the negative impact on it, it is entrained by heart problems, lack of a job, and DFUs. HRQoL appears to be critical when it comes to health issues, so the matter of DFUs is expected to be tackled more effectively. The two other problems are supposed to be dealt with accordingly, too (Corriosis & Karousi, 2016).
Analysis of the Article
The theme of the research proves to be topical since diabetes is a widespread disease that causes trouble to people who have been suffering from it. Diabetes is acknowledged to be a serious disease that tends to entrain many complications and consequences. People who are diagnosed with diabetes often suffer from circulatory failure in feet. This results in ulcers that are difficult to be treated, as well as causes much trouble for the patient. Therefore, each diabetic patient is supposed to do his/her best to prevent ulcers from appearing and developing (Mulder, Tenenhaus, & D’Souza, 2014). This proves to be possible in case the doctor’s recommendations are followed, and the sugar level is kept norma (Costa, Cisneros, & Luz, 2017). Ulcers might be considered as purulent destructive alterations that lead to gangrenous processes and foot amputation (Braun, Kisk, Lev-Tev, Kirsner, & Isseroff, 2014). Ulcers happen to be a result of minor scratches. Therefore, people who are prone to ulcers should be revealed since it is necessary to explain to them how to prevent them from developing (Alavi et al., 2014). However, the article by Corriosis and Karousi does not give a detailed insight into how this can be achieved. It states the necessity of tackling the problem without providing any ideas of how this is expected to be done. Besides, even though the paper is devoted to the issues of DFU and its impact on HRQoL, which can be understood from the title, the article touches other problems that tend to worsen the quality of life in the case of diabetes.
What is more, the paper reveals the problem which might be viewed as evident: DFUs do cause trouble to patients. So, it is reasonable to state that not all the paper is to the point. Moreover, it should be obvious that scientific research is expected to have a practical purpose. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the matter is topical, and the results can be applied. Thus, the article under consideration is expected not only to have outlined the problem but also to have provided alternatives for its solutions based on the empirical data which could have been obtained from experiments. As for the literature review, the majority of the articles are not up-to-date. Apart from that, they are mainly secondary sources. Only eight of them are strict to the point. The rest have been used just as overviewed in terms of the topic. However, they do not meet the initial purpose of the research. As for the evidence hierarchy in the paper, it is 1a since the paper provides a systematic review of papers that reflect upon the same topic from a similar viewpoint.
Conclusion
To sum the said above up, it is necessary to point out that the article under consideration dwells upon a topical issue. However, it has failed to provide any practical outcome which is worth being applying. As for its educational value, it is possible to conclude that it might serve an example of how not to organize a research paper and teach that the results should be to the point and applicable to practical purposes.
References
Alavi, A., Sibbald, G. R., Mayer D., Goodman, L., Botros, M., Armstrong, D. G., Woo, K., Boeni, T., Ayello, E. E., Kirsner, R. S. (2014). Diabetic foot ulcers: Part II. Management. Journal of Americal Academy of Dermatology, 70(1), 1-24.
Braun, L. R., Kisk, W. A., Lev-Tev, H., Kirsner, R. S., & Isseroff, R. (2014). Diabetic foot ulcer: An evidence-based treatment update. American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 15(3), 267-281.
Corriosis, A. & Karousi, T. (2016), Determinants of Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Systematic review and Meta-Analysis. Health Science Journal, 9(6:5), 1-7
Costa, R. H. R., Cisneros, L. de L, & Luz, A. R. (2017). Diabetic Foot. In Vascular Diseases for the Non-Specialist, 151-165.
Mulder, G., Tenenhaus, M., & D’Souza, F. G. (2014). Reduction of diabetic foot ulcers healing times through use of advanced treatment modalities. The International Journal of Lower Extremity Wounds, 13(4), 335-346.