Foot Care Knowledge and Practices in Diabetic Patients From 2021 to 2022 in Southern Vietnam and Related Factors – A Survey at a Single Center

Abstract

Abstract Background: Foot care knowledge has been mandatory in many countries,as it has been considered necessary to prevent diabetic foot ulcers. In Vietnam, foot care knowledge and practice are based mainly on the self-awareness of patients and random educative activities due to the lack of a mandatory educative program. Cho Ray Hospital is the most significant terminal Hospital in Southern Vietnam, which receives patients from Southern and Central provinces. We conducted this study at Cho Ray hospital, evaluating current foot care knowledge and practice and related factors to understand the effectiveness of the temporary approach. Methods: Cross-sectional observational study. Four hundred and three patients coming to Cho Ray Hospital from 2021 to 2022 were assessed with an evaluated questionnaire. Results: The average score of the knowledge of foot self-care of the studied population was 6.9 ±2.11 out of 10. The following pieces of knowledge: managing foot corns/calluses and dry skin, the need to wear socks as putting on shoes, not walking barefoot indoors, and not soaking feet in hot water had 30.8 – 49.6% of patients with correct answers. Only 6.2% of patients knew not to apply moisturizer on whole foot skin. Higher education level, longer duration of diabetes, and history of amputation were significantly related to being in the group with higher foot care knowledge scores. The studied population's average foot care practice score was 0.51 ± 0.13 (maximum score was 1). More than 40% of patients still practice harmful behaviors: walking barefoot, wearing slip-ons, not using moisturizer for dry skin, and soaking feet in water. Only 9.9% of patients paid attention to how to use new shoes properly. Patients who were active in searching for diabetic information scored 0.04 points higher than patients who did not search for diabetic information. In addition, an increase of one point in foot care knowledge increased foot care practice by 0.03 points. Conclusions: Knowledge and foot care practices fordiabetic patients still need to be improved in southern Vietnam. Increasing foot-care knowledge will effectively enhance foot-care practice, but it is not enough.