Volume 26, Issue 130, December 2022

Diabetic foot care: Knowledge and practice

Mohammed Alharbi¹, Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed Abdalrahaman², Eyad Mohammed Khalifah², Fauwaz Fahad Alrashid², Anas Abdulqader Fathuldeen², Sager Holyl Alruwaili³, Ahmed Onayzan Alshammari², Khalid Rahil Alanazi⁴, Rakan Hamoud Alsukaybi⁴, Abdalmajid Maezi Alanezi⁴, Saadeldin Ahmed Idris^2,5♦

¹Department of surgery, College of Medicine, Al Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud University, Riyadh, KSA
²Department of surgery, College of Medicine, University of Hail, KSA
³Department of Surgery, Orthopedic Division, College of Medicine, Jouf University, Sakaka, KSA
⁴Medical student, College of Medicine, University of Hail, KSA
⁵Department of surgery, Faculty of Medicine, AlzaeimAlazhari University, Sudan

^♦Corresponding author
Department of surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Alzaeim Alazhari University, Sudan

ABSTRACT

Background: The most common and serious diabetic complication involves foot ulcers. Such a complication is extremely burdensome for patients and for healthcare systems. Objective: To evaluate the understanding and practice of diabetic patients toward diabetic foot care. Methodology: Using a pretested online questionnaire data were collected prospectively from the general population descent from Hail region between November 2021 and April 2022 and analyzed by SPSS version 24.0. Results: A total of 423 diabetics participated in the study. More than three-quarters (76.8%) were from urban areas (P=0.03). Diabetic foot ulcer was found in 152 (35.9%) and it was lower most in the utmost educational groups (P=0.003) and highest in the older and those from urban areas, P=0.007 and P=0.013 respectively. A 79% knew that regular physical activity helps reduce blood sugar (P=0.001). Moreover, 70.4% were aware that before washing their feet, they should test the water's temperature (P =.001). Awareness was affected by the presence of diabetic foot ulcer and education (P=0.01, and P=0.001 respectively). Foot care practice was reported among 42.6% (P=0.313). It was affected by the presence of diabetic foot ulcer and co-morbidity (P=0.04, and P=0.002 respectively). Conclusion: A low percentage of populations are aware of and practicing diabetic foot care. Emphasis should be placed on intensifying the role of education in diabetic foot care.

Keywords: Awareness, Diabetics, Diabetic Foot Care, Diabetic foot ulcer, Practice.

Medical Science, 2022, 26, ms526e2591

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi/v26i130/ms526e2591

Published: 14 December 2022