Assessing the knowledge of patients with diabetes about foot care and prevention of foot complications in Cameroon, West Africa.

Background: As the incidence of diabetes continues to rise throughout the world, including Africa, diabetic foot complications are a significant factor in morbidity, hospital length of stay, and health care costs. An emphasis on prevention through patient education may reverse this trend.

Objective: To survey patients with diabetes in Cameroon, West Africa, to assess their knowledge about foot care and prevention of complications, with the goal of improving diabetic foot education across a hospital system.