Diabetic Foot Care Education and Practices: A Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Questionnaire-Based Study

Area of Science:

• Diabetology
• Public Health
• Neurology

Background:

• Diabetic foot disease is a major cause of morbidity in diabetes patients.
• Effective prevention relies on early patient education regarding foot care.
• Understanding patient knowledge, attitudes, and practices is key to reducing disease prevalence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess diabetic patients' knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning foot care.
• To estimate the prevalence of diabetic foot disease in the study population.
• To identify factors associated with diabetic foot disease and its complications.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 128 diabetic patients in Central India.
• Utilized a structured questionnaire for knowledge, attitudes, and practices assessment.
• Employed the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) for screening diabetic foot disease and neuropathy.

Main Results:

• 85.9% of patients received no foot care education; 74.2% lacked adequate hygiene knowledge.
• 31.3% of participants had diabetic foot disease (abnormal MNSI scores).
• Positive attitudes towards foot care were prevalent (97%), despite knowledge gaps; duration of diabetes correlated with disease presence and neuropathy.

Conclusions:

• Significant gaps exist in diabetic patient education regarding foot care.
• High prevalence of positive attitudes suggests potential for effective prevention through education.
• Proactive primary healthcare and patient education are vital for preventing diabetic foot disease and its severe complications.