Examination of the Relationship Between Foot Care Behaviour, Self-Efficacy, and Diabetes Self-Care Among Individuals With and Without Diabetic Foot Wounds.
Elif Boz, Eylem Topbaş
PMID 42087451WHAT IT FOUND
Foot care behaviour and overall diabetes self-care scores did not differ between patients with and without diabetic foot wounds, but patients with wounds reported lower confidence in foot care.
Key findings
01Patients with diabetic foot wounds did not differ significantly from patients without wounds in foot care behaviour or diabetes self-care scores, but self-efficacy scores were significantly higher in patients without wounds.
02Foot care behaviour, diabetic foot care self-efficacy, and diabetes self-care scores were strongly positively correlated across participants.
03Among patients with diabetic foot wounds, prior foot care education was associated with higher self-efficacy and self-care scores, and checking inside shoes before wearing them was associated with higher scores in both groups.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Convenience sample from three Turkish hospitals, so results may not apply to other settings. Cross-sectional design, so associations cannot show that education, self-efficacy, or behaviours prevent or cause diabetic foot wounds. Self-reported scales may overstate foot care behaviour. Groups differed in gender, education, and diabetes treatment, making direct comparison less clean. Diabetes type and HbA1c were not compared, so glycemic control may confound relationships. Some footwear subgroup comparisons could not be statistically tested because subgroup sizes were small.
Declared interests
The authors reported no funding and no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that foot care education or self-examination prevents diabetic foot wounds. This cross-sectional study compared existing groups and measured associations, not outcomes over time, so it cannot show cause.