Awareness of Diabetic Patients in the Qassim Region About Diabetic Foot and Its Complications.

Abstract

Introduction Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic condition brought on by either insufficient insulin production by the pancreas or inefficient insulin utilization by the body. A hormone called insulin controls blood sugar. Patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes frequently experience diabetes complications, which are also a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Microvascular and macrovascular problems of diabetes are the two main categories, with the former having a significantly higher prevalence than the latter. In contrast to macrovascular problems, which include cardiovascular disease, stroke, and peripheral artery disease (PAD), microvascular sequelae include neuropathy, nephropathy, and retinopathy. The occurrence of a foot ulcer coupled with neuropathy, PAD, and infection is known as diabetic foot (DF) syndrome, and it is a primary factor in lower limb amputation. Finally, there are additional diabetes problems that fall outside of the two categories listed before, including birth defects, dental disease, and decreased infection resistance. Aim This study aimed to evaluate the awareness of diabetic patients in the Qassim region about diabetic foot and its complications. Patient and methods This retrospective cohort study was conducted between January 2021 and January 2022 among diabetic patients. The patients were contacted through the contact numbers listed in their medical charts at the Diabetic Center in King Saud Hospital in Unaizah and the Diabetes Center in King Fahad Specialist Hospital. The data were collected by sending the link to the targeted patients using the Google Form questionnaire. Results Of the 384 diabetic patients, 51.6% were females, and 28.6% were aged between 18 and 30 years old. A previous history of foot ulcers has been reported by 10.4%. The overall mean score was 11.3 (SD 2.99) out of 20 points, with poor, moderate, and good awareness levels constituting 25.8%, 66.4%, and 7.8%, respectively. Factors associated with increased awareness include younger age, female gender, having no associated chronic disease, and not experiencing soreness on the foot or leg. Conclusion There was modest awareness among the diabetic population regarding diabetes foot care and its complications. Independent significant predictors of increased knowledge include younger age, female gender, having no associated chronic disease, and not experiencing soreness on the foot or leg. Increased diabetic education is vital to improving awareness levels of diabetic foot complications.