Objective: This study aimed to determine knowledge and practices of diabetic foot preventive measures among patients with diabetes.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on diabetic patients aged 18 years and above at King Saud Housing City (Dirab Primary Health Care Center) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study used a validated questionnaire to collect the data.
Results: This study included 400 diabetic patients; females accounted for 60.8% of the patients, and 84.5% of the overall sample had hyperlipidemia. The overall level of knowledge was good among 52.5%. Knowledge levels were substantially associated with education levels (p value < 0.001), employment (p value = 0.021), age groups (p value = 0.016), and hypertension (p value < 0.043). Patients were most likely to wash their feet at least once a day (97.3%) and wear shoes that fit, adapt, and preserve their foot form (91%).
Conclusion: The diabetic patients’ general knowledge and behaviors of diabetic foot preventive measures were adequate, but neither item was optimal, and there were gaps in knowledge and practice.
Key words: Knowledge, practice, prevention, diabetic foot, Saudi Arabia
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