Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the effects of two education programs on patients’ understanding of the disease, self-efficacy, locus of control, and application of prevention behaviors for foot ulcer. Methods: In four centers that manage patients with diabetes and grade 2 or 3 neuropathy, the first arm of patients (G1 = 53) participated in a “standard” program usually managed in each center, and those in the second arm (G2 = 56) in a “new” program. The patients completed four questionnaires at inclusion (T0) and six months after the education (T1). Occurrence of a new foot ulcer and care behaviors were collected at T1. Z-test was used to compare mean scores for each questionnaire and Fisher’s exact test for percentages (p = 0.05). Results: There was no significant difference between groups G1 and G2 in terms of scores for each questionnaire at T0 and T1. Group G2 showed a significant change in score between T0 and T1 for understanding the disease (p = 0.04) and prevention behaviors (p = 0.01). For the sample as a whole (n = 109), there was a significant improvement between T0 and T1 for two questionnaires: understanding of disease (p < 0.01) and declared prevention behaviors (p < 0.01). Patients who reported having relative to participate in care had a significantly higher mean score on prevention behaviors (p < 0.01). Twenty patients had developed one new ulcer since the education (20.2%). Conclusion: This study reinforces the importance of devoting time during education to patients’ understanding of the disease and involving relatives to improve foot ulcer prevention behaviors.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.