Foot Care Knowledge and Practice Among Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients In Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia

• Main Author: Chuan, Khaw Yam
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: R Medicine; RC648-665 Diseases of the endocrine glands. Clinical endocrinology
• Online Access: http://eprints.usm.my/58825/1/KHAW%20YAM%20CHUAN-24%20pages.pdf; http://eprints.usm.my/58825/

Introduction: Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a chronic disease which causes significant mortality and morbidity to diabetic patients worldwide, especially complication like lower limb amputation. This study aims to determine the level of foot care knowledge and practice among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and to determine relationship of foot care knowledge or practice with DFU. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia with subjects recruited from May 2019 to Jun 2020. They were recruited using convenient sampling method. Foot care knowledge and practice were obtained using a validated self-administered questionnaire. All patients were assessed for body mass index, monofilament testing for neuropathy and ankle brachial index for arterial insufficiency by single trained medical personnel. Results: Among 134 T2DM patients, 56 (42.8%) patients had DFU. The mean (SD) age of the study participants was 58.3 (9.9) years. A total of 113 (84.3%) T2DM patients had good foot care knowledge, and 85 (63.4%) T2DM patients had good practice. Majority of the T2DM patients with DFU had good foot care knowledge (87.5%), but poor practice (62.5%); while T2DM patients without DFU had good knowledge (82.1%) and good practise (82.1%). The Multiple Logistic Regression model showed that the foot care practice was an independent factor associated with DFU when age, peripheral diabetic neuropathy and BMI were adjusted, with estimated adjusted odds ratio 0.242 (95% CI: 0.077, 0.761). The foot care knowledge was not significantly associated with an increased risk of DFU when other confounders were adjusted (AOR: 1.347, 95% CI: 0.296, 6.741). Conclusion: Poor foot care practice was significantly associated with DFU. Apart from having foot care knowledge, adherence to education regarding foot hygiene, nail care and proper footwear is strongly recommended to prevent DFU and lower limb amputation. We suggest that the foot care practice adherence be evaluated and reinforced during every visit of T2DM patients to the health care facilities.