THE EFFECT OF INTERVENTIONS BASED ON STRENGTHENING FOOT CARE BEHAVIOR ON FOOT HEALTH STATUS AND GLYCOSYLATED HEMOGLOBIN LEVEL IN THE PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES

More than 90% of type 2 diabetic patients develop complications due to diabetes over time. Neuropathy is one of the complications of diabetes which leads to diabetic foot ulcers. Prevention of neuropathic foot ulcers has a high priority in these patients. This study aimed to determine the effect of interventions based on strengthening foot care behavior on foot health status and mean glycosylated hemoglobin level in type 2 diabetic patients in Diabetes Association and teaching hospitals of Urmia, Iran in 2019.

This study was a clinical trial that was conducted in Urmia in 2019. Totally 70 patients (35 in the intervention group and 35 in the control group) participated. Patients in the intervention group received 9 training sessions based on strengthening foot care behavior, while patients in the control group only received routine care. Data collection tools included the demographic and clinical information questionnaires and the four-item Douleur Neuropathique 4 (DN4) questionnaire. Data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 21) using descriptive and analytical statistics. The difference was considered significant at the levels below 0.05.

In the intervention group, the mean peripheral neuropathy score had changed from (5.20±1.02) at the beginning of the intervention to (3.74±0.93) at the end of it with a statistically significant difference (P-Value<0.001). Also, their mean HbA1c had changed from (7.66±0.7) at the beginning of the intervention to (6.88±1.11) at the end of the intervention with a statistically significant difference (P-Value = 0.01).

The intervention based on strengthening the foot care behavior effectively reduced the severity of peripheral neuropathy and the mean glycosylated hemoglobin in the intervention group. The results of this research can be used in medical research centers and educational and clinical nursing services to reduce the complications of diabetes and improve the quality of life in diabetic patients.