Knowledge of and attitude to foot care amongst Type 2 diabetes patients attending a university-based primary care clinic in Nigeria

Abstract

BackgroundIndividuals living with diabetes mellitus are at an increased risk of developing foot ulcers and cardiovascular complications or a neuropathy that may result in amputations. These complications have been shown to be already present in about 10% of diabetic patients at the time of diagnosis.ObjectivesThis study was carried out to determine the level of awareness and attitude to foot care among adult diabetic patients attending a university health centre (i.e. a primary care centre) and to emphasise the ever-present need for health education and promotion and early complication detection (especially of foot problems) among diabetic patients.MethodA descriptive cross-sectional, clinic-based study was carried out at the University of Ibadan Health Centre (Jaja Clinic). The study population consisted of consenting adult diabetic patients. Data were collected by the self-administration of structured questionnaires to eligible subjects and were analysed using the SPSS v.15software. Appropriate statistics were employed to analyse the collected data.ResultsA total of 137 patients participated in the study and ranged in age from 37 to 75 years, with the mean ± SD age being 58.2 ± 9.2 years. Of the participants, 98 (71.5%) were men and 39 (28.5%) were women; all of the participants were married. The duration of illness ranged from 1 year to 20 years, with the median duration of illness being 3 ± 1.7 years. One hundred and twenty-six (92%) patients had never received any education on foot care from their healthcare providers, while 11 (8%) had received some form of foot care education. Among those who had never received any foot care education, 92 (73%) had been diabetic for 1–5 years, while the remaining 34 (27%) had been diabetic for 6 – 20 years. Of the foot care measures that were known, 35 (25.5%) patients knew to wash their feet daily and dry in between the toes thoroughly, 31 (22.6%) knew not to go outdoors barefooted, 27 (19.7%) checked their feet daily, 27 (19.7%) checked inside their shoes daily, 8 (5.8%) consciously made an effort to avoid injuries to their feet and 4 (2.9%) clipped their toenails with care.ConclusionThe results of this study showed that awareness of foot care measures is very poor among known diabetic patients and this is largely due to a lack of education of the patients by their health care providers.

Knowledge evaluation and educating diabetic patients on self foot care at diabetic out patients` clinic, Muhimbili National Hospital

“…Participant with duration of diabetes mellitus for 10 years and below were the majority (69.5%) and these results are in agreement with the previous studies 3,4,7 . The level of knowledge about self foot care was not obviously related with increasing duration of the disease in this study.…”

“…Factors like poverty, unhygienic environments, bare foot walking and cultural practices interact to results in diabetic foot complications 1,5 . Studies reveal most patients with diabetes have poor knowledge and practice of foot care 6,7 .…”

“…All diabetic patients are at an increased risk for developing foot ulcers and infection 3,7,8 .Diabetic foot complications play a great contribution to morbidity and mortality of patients with diabetes and are one of the main reasons for hospital admission among them 6,9 . Diabetic foot complications are preventable and the awareness about the appropriate self foot care among patients and family members forms a cornerstone for the avoidance of diabetic foot complications as well as promoting the best practice of self foot care 2,7,8 .…”

“…Diabetic foot complications are preventable and the awareness about the appropriate self foot care among patients and family members forms a cornerstone for the avoidance of diabetic foot complications as well as promoting the best practice of self foot care 2,7,8 .…”

The Level of Awareness of Diabetic Foot Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2dm) in Alahsa, Saudi Arabia.

“…diet. Among these participants, the mean Hb A1C level was (7,8) which indicates that their serum glucose level is not well controlled. This could be a result of medication adherence failure due to lacking of knowledge about the importance of taking medication on regular pattern .…”