Just in case anyone is looking for ideas related to wound healing and smoking, following on from the above, here are a few ideas.
Look at differences in healing rates between: male and female; great toe and second toe, etc, etc; left foot right foot; nylon sock wearers and cotton sock wearers; stockings and tights; different ethnic groups; changes in rates associated with one week, two week/etc abstention from smoking.
The list of possibilities is endless and it all makes work for the working man to do.
But does it really benefit the patient and does it in a meaningful way further knowledge?
Smoking delays healing. I've got it.
Am I allowed to extrapolate from that or must I be able to reference confirmatory research, preferably repeated ad nauseum,
for every nuance of circumstance?
However, there are also evidence-based guidelines for treating behavioral risks to poor healing, such as smoking, which should be incorporated into treatment plans when appropriate.
Excellent idea although it might be considered too little too late if the patient already has an ulcer. Possibly they could incorporate the evidence bases guidelines for treating dependance on every occasion that a smoker visits a health practitioner?