Abstract

More than 30 million Americans have diabetes, and approximately five in every 1000 will be hospitalized for lower limb amputations each year. Foot care is vitally important to prevent both limb and life threatening complications in patients with diabetes. The rate of diabetes in Ohio is 11% and in Lucas County is 12%. High rates of diabetes and low incomes are prevalent in medically underserved areas in Lucas County. Additionally, income, education level, and access to primary care pose unique barriers to foot care for individuals in medically underserved areas. Foot care education that addresses these barriers may affect participation in self care behaviors. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice Evidence-Based Practice project is to evaluate the impact of a one-time foot focused education session with provision of diabetic socks and an unbreakable telescopic mirror on knowledge, confidence, and behaviors among patients with diabetes ≥/= 30 years of age in a medically underserved area in Lucas County. The Theory of Planned Behavior and the Iowa Model guided the implementation of the project. On Visit 1, demographic and health data was obtained. Participants completed the Knowledge of Foot Care, Foot Care Confidence Survey and Foot Care Behavior questionnaires and received a one-time foot focused education session, diabetic socks and an unbreakable telescopic mirror. On Visit 2, participants repeated the 3 foot care questionnaires, gave feedback, and received a gift card. Twelve patients (7 females and 5 males) completed both visits. Both knowledge of foot care (p=0.03) and foot care behavior (p=0.02) increased. A one-time foot care education session with provision of diabetic socks and an unbreakable telescopic mirror may be helpful strategy to increase foot care behaviors in patients with diabetes in a medically underserved area.

Description

Funding for this study by: The University of Toledo, Debra Buchman Research Fund and Sigma's Zeta Theta at-Large Chapter Research and Scholarship Committee Student Scholarship Award

Author Details

Rachel A. R. Ortega, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC

Sigma Membership

Zeta Theta at-Large

Type

DNP Capstone Project

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Quasi-Experimental Study, Other

Research Approach

Mixed/Multi Method Research

Keywords:

Foot Care, Medically Underserved, Diabetes, Diabetes Foot Care

Advisors

Walsh, M. Eileen||Rice, Susan K.||Pilliod-Carpenter, Kathy

Advisor

M. Eileen Walsh

Second Advisor

Susan K. Rice

Third Advisor

Kathy Pilliod-Carpenter

Degree

DNP

Degree Grantor

The University of Toledo

Degree Year

2020

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.

All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

None: Degree-based Submission

Acquisition

Self-submission

Date of Issue

2021-01-19

Full Text of Presentation

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