Knowledge and practice of diabetic foot care in Sudan: A cross sectional survey.

Background: Diabetes in Sudan is real health challenge for health authorities especially optimum glycemic control and complications in particular diabetic septic foot. This is study aimed to assess knowledge of individuals with diabetes about self-foot care.

Methods: This is descriptive cross sectional, health facility-based study conducted in diabetes center in Khartoum, Sudan. The study recruited 150 individuals with diabetes. Data was collected using a standardized pretested questionnaire.

Results: Among the participants 64.7% were females and 35.3% were males, 36% of the participants were between the age of 51-60 years old. Good glycemic control (HbA1c) were achieved by 41.3% only. The participants who had good knowledge about diabetic foot self-care were 46.7%, poor knowledge 29.3% and moderate knowledge 24%. Good self-practice toward diabetic foot self-care was reported by 42.6%, moderate by 36.7% and poor practice by 20.7%. The awareness and practices significantly correlated with an increase in ages (≥51 years), higher level of education, medium income, unemployment, longer duration of diabetes > 10years, family history, controlled diabetes mellitus and education about diabetes complications and diabetic foot care (P value < 0.05).

Conclusions: Only (46.7%) of participants address good awareness and practices about self-foot care. Accordingly, there is a great need to provide continuous health education to the patients about diabetic foot self-care and this knowledge-application gap must be narrowed down.