What is the Lived Experience of the ‘Three Great Pathologies’ of Diabetic Foot Disease? An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Independent Thinking of Podiatrists in Diabetes Secondary Care

Abstract

Researching the podiatrists’ lived experience of The Three Great Pathologies may help improve the quality of patient care. The aim of this research using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach is to report on insights relating to the Three Great Pathologies of diabetic foot disease – infection, ischaemia and amputation. To do this, data was collected from six New Zealand diabetes care Podiatrists. Three superordinate themes resulted with subordinate themes. They are compromised health status, podiatric challenges and best outcomes. The findings are firstly, patient education remains a priority; secondly, there is an unmet need for postgraduate podiatry education; and thirdly, early intervention is a key measure for reducing the influence of the Three Great Pathologies. This study demonstrates that focussing on a group of six specialist podiatrists contributes to new priorities of care for dealing with the Three Great Pathologies of diabetic foot disease.