Prioritizing the Prevention of Diabetic Foot Disease: We Each Have a Role to Play.
Audrey Walsh, Janet L Kuhnke
PMID 37817510WHAT IT FOUND
People with diabetes in this study described skipping foot checks when they felt well, talking about sugars as if they act on their own, and hearing mixed messages from clinicians and workplaces.
That leaves foot problems unchecked.
Key findings
01Most participants did not do regular foot checks, especially when they felt well.
02Participants often described blood sugars as if they acted on their own, which appeared to distance them from self-care responsibility.
03Many participants said providers did not routinely assess their feet or discuss foot care, and they were left unsure how to care for their feet.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was small and relatively homogeneous, mostly white participants from one Eastern Canadian province, so the findings may not apply to other groups. The study reports participants' perspectives and self-described practices, not measured foot complications or the effects of an intervention. Participants were recruited through community posters and were close to larger health care centres, so people with poorer access or different living situations may be underrepresented. The paper describes workplace barriers for some participants but does not test whether addressing those barriers improves diabetes self-care.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The work was supported by Cape Breton University.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as evidence that a specific foot-care program prevents amputations. The study describes what participants said about their self-care and mixed messages, not measured foot outcomes or effects of an intervention.