Background: Foot ulceration and subsequent lower extremity amputation are common, serious, and expensive chronic complications for patients with diabetes. Foot-care education, provided to patients with diabetes at low-risk for ulcers, prevents minor foot problems that may lead to ulceration. Little evidence is available to support the effectiveness of educational intervention in low-risk diabetic patients. Objectives: The objectives of the pilot study were to examine the feasibility and acceptability of the foot care educational intervention, and to explore its effects on patients’ foot self-care knowledge, efficacy, and behaviors, and the occurrence of minor foot problems in adult patients with diabetes at low risk for foot ulceration. Methods: A one group repeated measures design was used. The intervention was given over a 3-week period. The first intervention session consisted of a 1-hour one-on-one, provider-patient interaction to discuss foot self-care strategies; the second session involved a 1-hour hands-on practice training. The third and fourth sessions entailed two 10-minute telephone contact booster sessions. Seventy eligible participants with type 2 diabetes at low risk for foot ulcerations were enrolled in the study, and 56 participants (30 women and 26 men; mean age: 55.8±13.2 years) completed the study. The outcomes of foot self-care knowledge, efficacy, behavior, and foot and footwear conditions were assessed at pre-test, following the first two sessions, and 3-month follow-up. Repeated measures analysis of variance, and paired-t test were used to examine changes in outcomes over time. Results: The findings provided initial evidence suggesting the foot self-care educational intervention is feasible and acceptable to adult patients with type 2 diabetes. It was effective in improving patients’ foot self-care knowledge (F (2, 54) = 230.444, p < 0.01), self-efficacy (F (2, 54) = 94.668, p < 0.01), and foot self-care behaviors (t (55)=117.228, p < 0.01), in reducing the occurrence of minor foot skin and toenails problems (all p<0.05), and in improving wearing proper shoes and proper socks (all p<0.05 ) at 3-month follow-up. Conclusions: The findings from this pilot study support the effects of the intervention. Future research should evaluate its efficacy using a randomized clinical trial design, and a large sample of patients with diabetes at low risk for foot ulcerations.

Background: Foot ulceration and subsequent lower extremity amputation are common, serious, and expensive chronic complications for patients with diabetes. Foot-care education, provided to patients with diabetes at low-risk for ulcers, prevents minor foot problems that may lead to ulceration. Little evidence is available to support the effectiveness of educational intervention in low-risk diabetic patients. Objectives: The objectives of the pilot study were to examine the feasibility and acceptability of the foot care educational intervention, and to explore its effects on patients’ foot self-care knowledge, efficacy, and behaviors, and the occurrence of minor foot problems in adult patients with diabetes at low risk for foot ulceration. Methods: A one group repeated measures design was used. The intervention was given over a 3-week period. The first intervention session consisted of a 1-hour one-on-one, provider-patient interaction to discuss foot self-care strategies; the second session involved a 1-hour hands-on practice training. The third and fourth sessions entailed two 10-minute telephone contact booster sessions. Seventy eligible participants with type 2 diabetes at low risk for foot ulcerations were enrolled in the study, and 56 participants (30 women and 26 men; mean age: 55.8±13.2 years) completed the study. The outcomes of foot self-care knowledge, efficacy, behavior, and foot and footwear conditions were assessed at pre-test, following the first two sessions, and 3-month follow-up. Repeated measures analysis of variance, and paired-t test were used to examine changes in outcomes over time. Results: The findings provided initial evidence suggesting the foot self-care educational intervention is feasible and acceptable to adult patients with type 2 diabetes. It was effective in improving patients’ foot self-care knowledge (F (2, 54) = 230.444, p < 0.01), self-efficacy (F (2, 54) = 94.668, p < 0.01), and foot self-care behaviors (t (55)=117.228, p < 0.01), in reducing the occurrence of minor foot skin and toenails problems (all p<0.05), and in improving wearing proper shoes and proper socks (all p<0.05 ) at 3-month follow-up. Conclusions: The findings from this pilot study support the effects of the intervention. Future research should evaluate its efficacy using a randomized clinical trial design, and a large sample of patients with diabetes at low risk for foot ulcerations.

Las complicaciones del pie diabético son costosas y en gran parte prevenibles a través del autocuidado. Por ello, esta investigación tuvo por objetivo: comprender el autocuidado de los pies en personas con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 atendidas en un hospital público de Chiclayo¿'2023. Esta investigación fue de tipo cualitativa, con un diseño descriptivo. Los sujetos que participaron fueron personas con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 que se atendían en el hospital Las Mercedes y se excluyeron a los que tenían pie diabético o amputación. La muestra fue no probabilística, por conveniencia. El tamaño de la muestra fue delimitado por saturación y redundancia. Para la recolección de datos se utilizó una guía de entrevista semiestructurada, validada por juicios de expertos y prueba piloto. Luego fue aprobada por el Comité de Ética en Investigación de la Facultad de Medicina para la ejecución del proyecto. Se procesaron los datos mediante análisis de contenido temático; así mismo, se aplicaron los criterios de rigor científico y principios éticos de bioética de Sgreccia. Los resultados fueron representados por 5 categorías: a) Hábitos en la revisión, higiene, secado y humectación de los pies, b) Apoyo familiar en el recorte de uñas y las medidas para mejorar la circulación de los pies, c) Uso del calzado adecuado dentro y fuera del hogar según temporada climática y comodidad, d) Costumbres y uso de la medicina tradicional en el autocuidado de los pies, e) Autoaprendizaje y necesidad de educación sanitaria para el autocuidado de los pies. En este estudio, los pacientes diabéticos muestran deficiencias en su autocuidado, como falta de hidratación en los pies. A pesar de algunas prácticas positivas, como la higiene adecuada de pies; la falta de apoyo familiar y la limitada enseñanza del personal de salud contribuyen a prácticas riesgosas. Se destaca la necesidad de proporcionar educación y supervisión para prevenir complicaciones. / Diabetic foot complications are costly and largely preventable through self-care. Therefore, this research aimed to: understand foot self-care in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated at a public hospital in Chiclayo, 2023. This research was qualitative, with a descriptive design. The subjects who participated were people with type 2 diabetes mellitus who were treated at the Las Mercedes hospital and those who had diabetic foot or amputation were excluded. The sample was non-probabilistic, for convenience. The sample size was limited by saturation and redundancy. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data, validated by expert judgments and pilot testing. It was then approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine for the execution of the project. The data were processed through thematic content analysis; Likewise, the criteria of scientific rigor and ethical principles of Sgreccia bioethics were applied. The results were represented by 5 categories: a) Habits in checking, hygiene, drying and moisturizing the feet, b) Family supportin trimming nails and measures to improve foot circulation, c) Use of appropriate footwear inside and outside the home depending on the weather season and comfort, d) Customs and use of traditional medicine in foot self-care, e) Self-learning and the need for health education for foot self-care. In this study, diabetic patients show deficiencies in their self-care, such as lack of hydration in their feet. Despite some positive practices, such as proper foot hygiene; The lack of family support and the limited teaching of health personnel contribute to risky practices. The need to provide education and supervision to prevent complications is highlighted.