Evaluation of foot health and self care activities of individuals with type 2 diabetes

Early diagnosis of foot problems of individuals with diabetes and determination of their proficiency levels for self-care activities are very important in terms of gaining preventive foot care behaviors. Also determining the proficiency levels for self care activities is very important in terms of gaining protective foot care behaviors. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate foot health problems and self-care activities related to foot care of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. The research was planned in descriptive and cross-sectional type. The population of the study consisted of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus who met the research criteria and applied to the Endocrinology and Metabolism Diseases Outpatient Clinic of SANKO University Sani Konukoğlu Application and Research Hospital between January 2021 and May 2021. Power analysis was performed for sample calculation. According to this; the minimum sample size was determined as 188. Two hundred-two type 2 diabetes mellitus patients included in the study. Ethics committees and hospitals were recruited for the study. Data were collected with descriptive features, foot self-care activities, and foot examination form. Chi-square and Kruskal Wallis tests were used for the analysis of the data, mean, frequency and percentage values, and group comparisons. The mean age based on the study was 59±7 years. It was determined that 55.9% of the participants in the study were male and 44.1% were female. There is significant difference between age, systolic blood pressure, duration of diabetes, education status, economic status, presence of chronic diseases other than diabetes, diabetes-related complications, daily foot care, using moisturizer, monitoring their feet in terms of temperature and color, shoe preferences and experiencing foot problems (p<0.05). In line with these results, it can be suggested that individuals with diabetes should be guided to receive care and treatment for their foot problems, and that they should be trained for correct foot care practices