Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Diabetic foot is a physio pathological state with an etiopathogenic neuropathic basis, induced by sustained hyperglycaemia in which, with or without the co-existence of Peripheral Arterial Disease, and with a prior triggering trauma, ulcers and/or deep tissue destruction occur on the feet of diabetics.

Objectives: To evaluate the knowledge, beliefs, and practices regarding diabetes and its complications among Omani type 2 diabetes patients.

Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study enrolled 150 participants from the Diabetes Clinic at Bausher polyclinic, Muscat. Data was collected using questionnaires.

Results: Only 38% checked their feet regularly and only 5.6% were having diabetic foot. The practices regarding physical activity and blood glucose monitoring were found to be poor. results were as follows 84% don’t know the cause of diabetes also 37.3% don’t know the complications of the same while 55.3% don’t know cause of diabetic foot and 50% don’t know the symptoms of diabetic foot.

Conclusions: Educational interventions that approach the adoption of essential behaviour with regard to foot care are considered the ideal practices for this public, which should include daily foot examination and preventive care for skin, nails and callosity. Professionals should incorporate the practice of health-related education in their daily routines to better assist their patients. Furthermore, as those responsible for promoting, protecting and recovering health, they are expected to obtain desirable results with diabetics in preventing and delaying the onset of foot complications and help diabetics to improve their quality of life.