"They say to me 'You want to be a high shot and be like a tourist' so I stopped wearing shoes at home even though I know it is to protect my feet". The perceptions of patients on foot complications
Issued Date
2023-01-01
Resource Type
eISSN
19326203
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85177419942
Pubmed ID
37976282
Journal Title
PloS one
Volume
18
Issue
11
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
PloS one Vol.18 No.11 (2023) , e0294518
Suggested Citation
Ranuve M.S., Mohammadnezhad M. "They say to me 'You want to be a high shot and be like a tourist' so I stopped wearing shoes at home even though I know it is to protect my feet". The perceptions of patients on foot complications. PloS one Vol.18 No.11 (2023) , e0294518. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0294518 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/91322
Title
"They say to me 'You want to be a high shot and be like a tourist' so I stopped wearing shoes at home even though I know it is to protect my feet". The perceptions of patients on foot complications
Author(s)
Author's Affiliation
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Diabetic Foot Ulceration (DFU) is one of the serious complications for people with diabetes and it is also the most devastating but yet preventable complication. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients on their foot complications and foot care practices in Fiji. METHODS: A qualitative study design was used to recruit T2DM patients attending Diabetic clinic in Rotuma Hospital, Fiji from July to September, 2021. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 27 patients until data saturation is happened. Semi-structured one-on-one in-depth interviews that were audio-recorded were used to collect data which was then transcribed and manually analyzed using thematic analysis method. RESULTS: This study found four main themes namely Knowledge and its determinants, Perceptions on personal practice and health care practice, Health seeking behaviors and Factors affecting footwear practices. T2DM patients had varying levels of knowledge about DFU and these levels of knowledge were attributed to lack of advice from healthcare providers, personal beliefs, culture and societal norms and lack of resources. Patients continued to practice self-care practices that they perceived to protect their feet from trauma and such practices have been passed down through a traditional knowledge system including stigma and beliefs. Culture and personal habits greatly impacted the practice of wearing footwear. Societal norms and traditions greatly impact how T2DM patients take care of their feet and their health in general. CONCLUSION: Understanding personal beliefs and traditional influences surrounding the patients' environment is paramount in order to effectively implement public health prevention strategies against DFU.