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Foot care, 'spousal' support and type 2 diabetes: an exploratory qualitative study
Matthew Reaney1, Nik Chmiel1, Susan Churchill1
1a Department of Psychology & Counselling , University of Chichester , Chichester , UK.
Psychology & Health
|June 3, 2018
Summary
Spouses can improve foot care for people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). While many T2DM patients and their spouses engage in some foot protection, involving spouses in education may enhance self-care behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Diabetes Management
- Patient Self-Care Behaviors
- Social Support in Health
Background:
- Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) necessitates diligent foot care to prevent complications.
- Despite recommendations, consistent foot care practices are often lacking in T2DM patients.
- The role of spousal involvement in T2DM foot care remains underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate awareness, perceived susceptibility, and concern regarding foot problems in T2DM.
- To examine reported foot care behaviors among individuals with T2DM.
- To explore how spousal presence influences T2DM foot care practices.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study employing 1:1 interviews with six individuals with T2DM (with and without spouses).
- Inclusion of patients across low, medium, and high risk categories for foot complications.
- Interviews with patients, their spouses (if applicable), and dyads, analyzed using Applied Thematic Analysis.
Main Results:
- Participants recognized the link between diabetes and foot issues, but perceived susceptibility varied.
- Spouses generally perceived higher susceptibility to foot problems in T2DM patients compared to the patients themselves.
- While most T2DM patients and spouses performed some protective actions, combining problem identification and protection was rare; spousal influence on patient behavior was noted as both positive and negative.
Conclusions:
- Spousal engagement in foot care education holds potential for improving self-care behaviors in T2DM.
- Understanding the dynamics of spousal influence is key to optimizing foot care interventions.