Evaluating the information , attitudes and behaviors about foot care of diabetic patients and diabetic foot

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease in which organism can't make use of carbohydrate, fat and protein because of lack of the insulin or the impact of defects in insulin and it requıres constant medical care. In approximetely fifty percent of the reasons for hospitalization of diabetic patients are chronic complications and this situation result to high treatment costs and increasing loss of labor force. Diabetic foot ulsers which is one of the factors determining the life span and the quality of life are the most common reasons for hospitalization and surgical interventions of diabetic patients. Diabetic foot is an important complication which influence morbidity of diabetes, have expensive treatment, can only be prevented by patient education. Educating the patiens about foot care plays an important role on preventing the lower extremity problems. This study was carried out to detect the informaton, attitude and behaviour of diabetic patients about foot care and diabetic- foot and to put forth the educational needs for patients. The participants of the cross sectional study consists of 150 voluntary patients who applied for Bülent Ecevit University Health Practise and Research Center Endocrinology Clinic between the dates 20.07.2015 and 08.09.2015 and being treated in the bed unit of centre in the same date. 143 of the participant (%95,3) have had diabetic coma. It's found that 75 of the participants (%50,0) think that foot care is important. 106 of the participants (%70,7) express that they wash their foot frequently or everyday; 85 of the participant (%56,7) express that they dry their foot frequently or after each washing ; 9 of the patients (%6,0)express that they use foot care cream frequently or every day. The type of the socks and shoes the patients use (56 percent of them) use cotton socks, 76 percent of them wear flat-soled shoes) is generally comply with the standarts but their nail cutting forms are incompatible (38,7 percent of them have round oval cut) and almost half of the patients (46 percent of them) reported to have foot infection . In addition to having infections,it's identified that 48,7 percent of the patients always have burning sensation and 36,7 percent of them generally have cracks and dryness on their feet. It's found that 78 percent of the patients consult a health institution when they have a problem. It' seen that men have more ulceration on foot than women. It's found that the group who have higher education level and have had information about the importance of foot care from any source before,are more conscious than the ones who haven't (68 of the patients (%45,3) have had information about foot care). Also, the group who get educated about foot care had higher percentage on washing, drying up and creaming their feet frequently (10,3 percent of them cream their feet frequently) At the same time,the group who have higher education level had less foot ulceration.(100 percent of gradutes from high school/university or postgradutes don't have ulceration) It's been seen that the ones who smoke have the discomfort of foot ulceration and loss of sensation more than the ones who don't smoke. To prevent the complications of diabetes, patient compliance, regular treatment and education are important parameters. In order to reduce the risk of having diabetic foot which is the most common complication of diabetes, there is need for centers monitoring, evaluating and educating the patients to make them have positive behaviour change in this sense, caring about philosophy of preventive health.