Psychological and emotional aspects in people with diabetic foot disease: a systematic scoping review

BACKGROUND: Several psychological and emotional aspects have been identified in people with diabetic foot disease (DFD). Currently, the scope of evidence on the topic is unclear. The aim of this scoping review is to identify and map the literature on psychological and emotional aspects of DFD. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted on the 6th of May 2024, in MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and PsycInfo. Search results were screened based on predefined eligibility criteria. Data charting followed predefined extraction sheets, adapted for quantitative or qualitative studies. RESULTS: Out of 1,838 unique records identified from the database search and 1,819 from backwards citation search, 118 studies were deemed eligible for inclusion. Five categories of foot outcomes were identified. Qualitative studies revealed psychological and emotional impacts, primarily through individual interviews and various methods of analysis. Quantitative studies reported 25 different psychological and emotional concepts, utilizing 53 distinct tools. Most common concepts were depression, anxiety, and illness perception. CONCLUSION: Existing research on psychological and emotional aspects of DFD is diverse, using a wide variety of study designs, concepts, and tools. Most studies focus on quantitative psychological factors. This highlights the need for further exploration of other relevant aspects to enhance patient support.