The relationship between the level of diabetes-related knowledge and the prevalence of foot ulceration in patients living with type-2 diabetes mellitus in Malta.

Abstract

AIM

The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a relationship between the level of diabetes-related knowledge and the prevalence of foot ulceration in patients living with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Malta.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHOD

A single-centre matched case-control study was conducted at the Diabetes and Endocrine Centre, Mater Dei Hospital Malta from July 2009 to December 2009. Thirty patients living with Type-2 diabetes were selected from the out-patient clinic. The sample comprised fifteen participants living with foot ulceration and fifteen participants without foot ulceration. Patients were matched for: age, gender, educational level achieved by patient, duration of Diabetes Mellitus, current medication and weight. A 24-item questionnaire (DKQ-24) was administered to them to assess knowledge about the disease state, diagnostic tests, complications and management of diabetes. Medical data such as HBA 1 c was sought from the records held at Mater Dei Hospital.

RESULTS

The study found no significant difference (P = 0.671) between the level of diabetes-related knowledge and prevalence of foot ulceration amongst this study group. However, a difference in the mean HBA1c level, duration of Type-2 diabetes and age was identified between groups.

CONCLUSION

No significant difference was found between the level of knowledge in people living with Type-2 diabetes and the prevalence of foot ulceration. The study however identified a mean difference between the two groups in the mean HBA 1 c level, duration of Type-2 diabetes and age. This finding suggests that there could be other factors apart from knowledge which might be responsible for foot ulceration. The findings have also revealed a knowledge deficit in a number of key areas in the management of diabetes. Repeating this research using high methodological quality in different study settings such a private clinics and private hospitals where populations may differ from the one studied here, may yield further information on the effectiveness of diabetes-related knowledge in the prevalence of foot ulceration in patients living with Type-2 diabetes in Malta.