Reduction of amputation rates among Alaska Natives with diabetes following the development of a high-risk foot program.

Objective: The prevalence of diabetes is increasing rapidly among Alaska's Indian, Eskimo and Aleut populations. Approximately half the Native people with diabetes have no road access to hospitals or physicians, presenting a challenge in the attempt to prevent lower extremity amputation as a complication. In late 1998 funding became available for diabetes prevention and treatment among Native Americans. The tribal health corporations in Alaska decided to use a portion of this funding to implement a high-risk foot program to decrease the amputation rate.

Program Design: The program initially involved a surgical podiatrist who provided training to local staff and performed preventive and reconstructive surgery on several patients with impending amputations. The program then provided training for a physical therapist to become a certified pedorthist. This individual established the long-term maintenance phase of the program by conducting diabetic foot clinics routinely at the Alaska Native Medical Center, a referral center in Anchorage. He also travels to other regions of the state to provide training for village and hospital-based health care providers and to conduct field clinics. A system was established in a common database management program to track the patients' foot conditions. Patient education is emphasized.

Results: The overall amputation incidence among all Alaska Native patients with diabetes decreased from 7.6/1,000 in the pre-program period (1996 to 1998) to 2.7/1,000 in the post-program period (1999-2001) (p<.001). The rate among Aleuts, who previously had the highest amputation incidence, decreased from 17.4/1,000 to 3.1/1,000 over the same time periods (p<.001). Among people who had had diabetes at least 10 years, the overall amputation incidence decreased from 16.4/1,000 to 6.8/1,000 (p=.021); among Aleuts the rate fell from 24.5/1,000 to 2.6/1,000 (p=.01).

Conclusions: Though longer follow-up is needed, these data suggest that even in populations living in isolated regions, diabetic amputations can be prevented by a coordinated system to identify high-risk feet and provide preventive treatment and education in the context of a comprehensive diabetes management program in an integrated health system.