Use of footwear and foot condition among rural Ethiopian school children.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether shoe-wearing affords foot protection among school children living in southern Ethiopia. METHODS: Data collectors conducted a standardized foot assessment with children in an elementary school in southern Ethiopia (N=168). RESULTS: 54% reported wearing shoes consistently in the prior three days. Children wearing closed-toed shoes showed less adherent soil and toe nail dystrophy than those wearing open-toed sandals. There were no differences by shoe type with regard to signs of foot trauma or heel fissures. CONCLUSIONS: Shoe wearing provided limited foot protection. Interventions are needed to build behavioral skills, including foot washing and wearing appropriate shoes that maximize foot protection.