Patients’ awareness and extent of self-reported foot care practices in diabetes population

Abstract

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Diabetic foot ulcer is a serious complication of diabetes which results lower extremity amputation. Proper preventative measures, appropriate foot self-care and management of foot ulcer will reduce, delay or prevent the incidence of infection, gangrene, and amputation. This study was intended to assess diabetes patients’ awareness and extent of foot care practice at University of Gondar referral Hospital.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> An institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to June 2018. A total of 372 diabetes patients were included in this study. Data were collected through face to face interview using structured questionnaires. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Binary logistic regression analysis was conducted. A p value <0.05 was consisdered statitisticaly significant. </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> Of all participants more than half 197 (53%) were male. The age range of participants was 18-90 years. Majority, 65.6 % (with 95% CI 60.8-70.2) of diabetes patients had good foot self-care practice. Poor foot self-care practice was significantly associated with having poor level of awareness about foot care (AOR 12.55, 95% CI, 6.49- 24.28) and having no previous information about foot ulcer (AOR 7.03, 95% CI, 2.11-23.46).</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Generally, in this hospital most of the study participants had good awareness and practices towards foot self-care. However, selectively majority of patients had poor foot self-care practice regarding; drying of their feet after every wash, change the socks/stockings/ used regularly, and avoid wearing of slippers with no fastening. Foot self-care practices were positively associated with having good awareness about foot care and having previous information about foot ulcer.</p>