Diabetic Foot Self-Care Practices Among Adult Diabetic Patients: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

Figures & data

Table 1 Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Diabetic Patients on Follow-Up at Ambulatory Clinic, Jimma Medical Center, 2019

Variables		Frequency (%)
Age (Mean±SD), years: 46.47±13.63
Sex	Male	207 (55.9)
	Female	163 (44.1)
Marital status	Married	291 (78.6)
	Unmarried	44 (11.9)
	Divorced	15 (4.1)
	Widowed	20 (5.4)
Religion	Orthodox	57 (15.4)
	Muslim	292 (78.9)
	Protestant	21 (5.7)
Educational status	Cannot read and write	145 (39.2)
	Can read and write	53 (14.3)
	Grade 1–8	75 (20.3)
	Grade 9–12	44 (11.9)
	College and above	53 (14.3)
Occupational status	Farmers	115 (31.1)
	House wife	85 (23)
	Private employee	48 (13)
	Government employee	44 (11.9)
	Unemployed	30 (8.1%)
	Student	24 (6.5)
	Daily laborer	24 (6.5)
Residence	Urban	197 (53.2)
	Rural	173 (46.8)
Habit of smoking	Yes	92 (24.9)
	No	278 (75.1)

Table 2 Clinical Characteristics of Diabetes Patients on Follow-Up at Ambulatory Clinic, Jimma Medical Center (JMC), in 2019

Variables		Frequency (%)
Type of DM	Type 1	117 (31.6)
	Type 2	253 (68.4)
Duration of DM	<5 years	180 (48.6)
	5–10 years	137 (37.0)
	>10 year	53 (14.3)
Having previous information about DFU	Yes	337 (91.1)
	No	33 (8.90)
Previous history of foot ulcer	Yes	132 (35.7)
	No	238 (64.3)

Abbreviations: DFU, diabetic foot ulcer; DM, diabetic mellitus.

Table 3 Frequency Distribution of Patients’ Response to Questions Related to Foot Self-Inspection and Foot Hygiene Among Diabetic Patients on Follow-Up in Ambulatory Clinic, Jimma Medical Center, 2019

Practice Domains	Items	Response	Frequency	Percentage
Foot inspection	Examine (inspect) your feet	More than once a day	270	73.0%
		Once-daily	72	19.5%
		4–6 times weekly	28	7.6%
		Once a week or less	28	7.6%
	Check shoes before put them on	Often	204	55.1%
		Sometimes	88	21.9%
		Rarely	33	8.9%
		Never	45	12.2%
Foot hygiene	Wash feet	More than once daily	127	34.3%
		Once-daily	179	48.4%
		Most days a week	45	12.2%
		Few days a week	19	5.1%
	Feet dry after washing	Often	161	43.5
		Sometimes	42	11.4%
		Rarely	48	13%
		Never	119	32.2%
	Dry between feet toes after washing	Always	147	39.7%
		Often	18	4.9%
		Sometimes	48	13%
		Never	157	42.4%
	Use moisturizing cream on feet	Daily	108	29.2%
		Once a week	21	5.7%
		About once a month	6	1.6%
		Never	235	63.5%
	Put moisturizing cream between feet toes	Daily	98	26.5%
		Once a week	26	7%
		About once a month	4	1.1%
		Never	242	65.4%
	Cut feet toe nail	Once a week	47	12.7%
		Once a month	256	69.2%
		Less than once a month	54	14.6%
		Never	13	3.5%

Table 4 Frequency Distribution of Patients’ Response to Questions Related to Foot Self-Care Behaviors Among Diabetic Patients on Follow-Up in Ambulatory Clinic, Jimma Medical Center

Foot self-care behaviors	Walk in sandals/slippers	Most of the time	85	23.0%
		Sometimes	118	31.9%
		Rarely	65	17.6%
		Never	102	27.6%
	Walk in shoes without socks	Most of the time	102	27.6%
		Sometimes	68	18.4%
		Rarely	59	15.9%
		Never	141	38.1%
	Change socks	More than once a day	9	2.4%
		Everyday	101	27.3%
		4–6 times a week	99	26.8%
		Less than 4 times a week	161	43.5%
	Walk bare foot around the house	Often	21	5.7%
		Sometimes	17	4.6%
		Rarely	42	11.4%
		Never	290	78.4%
	Walk bare foot outside the house	Often	18	4.9%
		Sometimes	5	1.4%
		Rarely	27	7.3%
		Never	320	86.5%
	Put feet near the fire	Often	23	6.2%
		Sometimes	29	7.8%
		Rarely	40	10.8%
		Never	278	75.1%