kNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE OF FrOOT SELF-cARE, AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG DIABETIC PATIENTS AT HIWOT FANA SPECIALIZED UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, HARAR, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Diabetic foot ulcer and leg amputation are one of its most common complications. Rate of leg amputation is every 30 second somewhere in the world, due to diabetes. Diabetes in Ethiopia is real health challenge regarding its foot complication. Despite poor foot self-care knowledge and practices are important risk factors for foot problems in diabetes, the level of knowledge and practice regarding diabetic foot self-care and its associated factors are unknown in the study area. Objective: This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and practice of foot self-care and associated factors among adult diabetic patients. Methods: Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted on 214 participant using simple random sampling and data was collected by interviewer administered questionaries. Furthermore, descriptive statistics, binary and multivariate logistic regression were employed by SPSS version 24.0 to assess the predicators of knowledge and practice of diabetic foot self-care. Results: Majority of the respondents were male (54.7%) and the mean age was 45 + 12.6. Overall good Knowledge and Practice of foot self-care was 57.5% and 63.1% respectively. Participants who were in the age category of 36-45 were 39.1% lower compared to > 55 years (AOR= 0.309; 95% CI: .104,.915), and those who can’t read and write were 99.1% times less likely as compared to those attended high school (AOR= 0.009; 95% CI: .001,.123) to have good knowledge. Respondents who were in the age category of 26-35 were 72.4% lower as compared to > 55 years (AOR= 0.276; 95%CI: .086,.884), and male were 90.1% less likely as compared to females (AOR= 0.099; 95%CI: .026,.377) to have a good practice. Conclusion: Knowledge and Practice of foot self-care of diabetic patients is low. Independent predictors including age, educational status, occupational status and income were identified as factors significantly associated knowledge of foot self-care. Study setup should design, facilitate and strength awareness creation strategy for knowledge and practice of foot care for diabetic patients especially those lack for formal education and get low income. Policy makers should initiate interventional foot care education program for the study area.