Experiences of family members caring for a relative with diabetic foot wounds at home, in Selected Village of Limpopo Province

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus can lead to reduced blood supply to the lower extremities, causing wounds to heal slowly and complications such as diabetic foot wounds, which may progress to amputation. This study explored the experiences of family members caring for relatives diagnosed with diabetes mellitus that degenerated into diabetic foot wounds. The researcher employed a qualitative approach in a selected village in the Limpopo province of South Africa. A nonprobability purposive sampling technique was used to select 15 family members providing homebased care to relatives suffering from diabetic foot wounds. Data saturation was achieved with the 15 participants after re-conducting interviews. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, which were audio-recorded with participants’ consent and supported by field notes capturing non-verbal expressions. An open-coding process guided the thematic analysis, and an independent coder was employed. Five key themes emerged from the data: family members’ experiences of the diabetic foot wound development, psychological burden of family members caring for a relative with diabetic foot wounds, financial burden of family members caring for a relative with diabetic foot wounds, social burden of family members caring for a relative with diabetic foot wounds and coping mechanism of family members caring for a relative with diabetic foot wounds. These themes collectively highlight the physical, emotional, and socioeconomic challenges faced by family members caring for relatives with diabetic foot wounds. The researcher ensured trustworthiness through credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. Ethical principles were rigorously adhered to throughout the study. The findings informed recommendations to strengthen family members’ support and improve the management of diabetic foot wounds at home and community levels. The study participants face challenges when it comes to caring for their relatives since they are not well experienced in performing healthcare duties. The findings of the study contribute to the limited literature on family members caring for diabetic foot wounds at home. The study found that family members caring for a relative with diabetic foot wounds at home play a crucial role in caring and supporting their relative, yet they experience notable challenges, such as emotional burden, stress, a feeling of guilt when the wound does not heal, and physical and financial strains. Furthermore, the study found that family members manage wound care at home with inadequate skills and knowledge, as they receive less systematic support from doctors and nurses. Thus, this study contributes by highlighting the importance of the healthcare system. It provides impetus to guide and strengthen family members’ support in improving the provision of care for relatives with diabetic foot wounds at home.