The Effects of Education on Foot Care Behaviors and Self‑Efficacy in Type 2 Diabetes Patients

Abstract

Background: Diabetic foot significantly affects the quality of life of patients with diabetes. It leads to loss of labor force, psychosocial trauma, and high treatment costs due to serious morbidity and mortality. Nurses have an important responsibility to improve the metabolic status of individuals with  diabetes, to protect them from foot complications, and to teach patients foot care skills.

Aim: This study investigated the effects of education on type 2 diabetes patients regarding diabetic foot care and self‑efficacy.

Materials and Methods:  This quasi-experimental study was conducted from February to July 2016 in hospitals located in the city of Balıkesir in Turkey with type 2 diabetes patients  who were admitted to the internal medicine clinic and monitored by the endocrinology and internal medicine outpatient clinics. G*power 3.1.9.2  software was used to calculate the sample size of 94 people with a 5% type 1 error, and 90% power. The study was carried out with stratified  randomization, and a questionnaire was administered to the experimental and control groups. The experimental group received training, and both  groups’ scores on the Diabetic Foot Behavior Questionnaire [Appendix 1] and the Diabetic Foot Care Self‑Efficacy Scale [Appendix 2] were compared after three months. The t-test, the paired t-test, and the Chi-square test were used.

Results: While the self‑efficacy and the foot care behavior scores of the  control group did not show any differences (P > 0.05), the experimental group’s scores were significantly higher (P < 0.05). The control group’s self‑efficacy  and foot care behavior scores on the pre‑test and final test were similar, while the experimental group’s scores increased (P < 0.05).   

Conclusions: Starting from the diagnosis of diabetes, it is advisable to carry out foot assessments and to follow up with diabetics who received foot care  education to increase their self‑efficacy, to make foot care a habit, and to re-evaluate missing or incorrect practices during check-ups.