Perception of the podologist profession in Italy, by the doctor endocrinologist and metabolic area

Abstract

AIM The objective of this study is the evaluation of the perception and real knowledge that the doctor working in the diabetological field has of the figure of the Podiatrist. MATERIALS AND METHODS A questionnaire was distributed with 22 questions at two national events (national diabetology congress). The questions were divided into two sections: the first (1-8) for the classification of the sample of doctors and the second (9-22) to explore the relationship between diabetologist and podiatrist. The answers when not codified have been previously classified into coherent, dubious and non-coherent ones to facilitate data analysis. Only the questionnaires filled in by doctors were analyzed. The sample consists of 81 doctors with a median age of 51.6 ± 9.6 years and with a work experience of 20.7 ± 10.8 years, belonging to the metabolic endocrine area (60%) or general medicine (40%) and with a homogeneous distribution on the Italian territory (31% north, 41% center and 28% south), engaged in hospitals for 74.1% of cases and with a prevalence of women (65%). RESULTS From the questionnaires filled out by doctors it appears that the patients are not sent by the hospital podiatrist either because they are not present (66%) or because their presence is not known (42%). The same reasons why patients are not sent to podiatrists operating in the area: they are not known (40%) or there are none (40%). In most cases, collaboration with podiatrists is reserved for simple injuries (61%), this is probably related to the reduced knowledge of doctors towards the skills of this professional category. From the data it emerges that the function of the podiatrist is underestimated in 75% of the interviewees while only 62% would like a greater use in prevention and 17% in the active participation of the diabetological team. CONCLUSIONS The figure of the Podiatrist, in the current state of knowledge has proved to be very little known by the medical class, and involved only for small diseases. Furthermore, it would be desirable to update the professional profile so as to be comparable to that of other European countries. KEY WORDS podiatrist; diabetologist; diabetic foot; diabetic foot team.